Maple Leafs hire Mats Sundin, John Chayka to run front office

Former captain and ex-Coyotes GM will be introduced on Monday afternoon as the new leaders of the Maple Leafs hockey department.

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Published May 03, 2026  •  Last updated 1 minute ago  •  3 minute read

Mats Sundin, left, and John Chayka. Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS /FILES

It’s official.

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The Maple Leafs announced on Sunday that Mats Sundin and John Chayka have been hired and will be introduced on Monday afternoon as the new leaders of the Maple Leafs hockey department.

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The additions of Sundin and Chayka were first reported by the Toronto Sun.

Sundin, the Leafs’ franchise leader in points, will be the team’s senior executive adviser, hockey operations, while Chayka takes over as the 19th general manager in Leafs franchise history.

The looming announcement puts an end to weeks of speculation regarding the Leafs’ front office, though more changes would not be surprising.

“I’m honoured to join the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and excited to work alongside Mats and the entire organization,” Chayka said in a statement. “This is one of hockey’s most historic franchises, with a passionate fan base who want to win. I’m focused on building a team that is competitive, driven and relentless — one that is in the best position to win for our fans and for the city of Toronto.”

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Sundin will serve as a strategic advisor and provide support across hockey operations, the team said.

“This fan base deserves greatness and I am grateful for the opportunity to help this team, organization and city achieve that,” Sundin said. “My love for the Maple Leafs and the City of Toronto is an important part of who I am and who I will always be. I look forward to working closely with John as we both recognize the incredible opportunity and responsibility to win here in Toronto.”

Chayka’s to-do list is long and has some items that will require immediate attention.

What’s to become of Craig Berube?

The future of coach Craig Berube is to be determined after the Leafs missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2016. If the decision is made that Berube will be done with two years remaining on his contract, the list of candidates to be the next coach in Toronto will have Bruce Cassidy at the top.

Tuesday night brings the National Hockey League draft lottery. The Leafs can move up, stay at No. 5 or drop out of the top five, in which their first-round pick would go to the Boston Bruins.

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   SIMMONS SAYS: Mats Sundin makes us happy, John Chayka makes us wonder

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   Maple Leafs asked to speak with Lightning GM Julien BriseBois, nothing yet official with Sundin and Chayka

How soon will Chayka meet with Matthews?

Given that the Chayka hiring has been expected for more than a week, it’s possible he already has had some chats with captain Auston Matthews.

If not, we’d hate to tell Chayka how to do his job, but an in-person meeting with Matthews has to take place in the coming days. Getting a gauge on Matthews’ feelings about the future of the team, and discussing with Matthews, who has two years left on his contract before he can go to free agency in 2028, his off-season plans are paramount for Chayka.

At this point, the degree of success that the Sundin-Chayka tandem can bring for the Leafs is anyone’s guess.

Since his last NHL season with the Vancouver Canucks in 2008-09, Sundin, 55, has remained a revered person in Leafs Nation, though one without any kind of executive experience. Now, Sundin won’t have any choice but to learn on the job.

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The club hopes that Sundin can help restore some respect for the Leafs, but the most important way to earn that is to help get the team back on a winning path.

Chayka, who turns 37 in June, returns to an NHL GM’s chair for the first time since July 2020, when he resigned as GM of the Arizona Coyotes following four years in that position.

The Coyotes under Chayka’s watch were not good, finishing out of the playoffs in his first three years. Arizona made the postseason in his fourth year, but he had resigned on the eve of the playoffs and later was suspended by the NHL for conduct detrimental to the league.

Others who were interviewed by the Leafs for the GM job after Brad Treliving was fired in March included Ryan Martin, Scott White and Mike Futa.

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