Is John Chayka a top-3 GM?

[Jetcetera]

Where did they even find this guy? I'm convinced that prior to becoming GM, Chayka had never even watched a game of hockey. One of the worst GM's I've seen in a long time.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Top 5 worst GM of all time. Everybody is saying he's the best because he's young and going about things with computers and data. Has that resulted in success? No.

Look at what happened to the Panthers last year when they built a team around advanced stats. This dude is set up to become the face of sports franchises dying across the country over advanced stats.

He's a great salesman, though. No doubt about it.

Yeah, and then any GM that's thought of as old school automatically sucks. No matter what the track record or results.
Young, new wave GM with bottom 5 team >>> old school GM with bubble team.

 

[XX]

Where did they even find this guy? I'm convinced that prior to becoming GM, Chayka had never even watched a game of hockey. One of the worst GM's I've seen in a long time.

Chayka played hockey before injuries did him in. But what exactly are you "seeing" that makes him the worst? Are you yourself new to the game?

He has had one summer of control and added Raanta, Stepan, and Hjalmarsson. Two of which haven't really been healthy, but they've been big difference makers when available. The player he specifically targeted and drafted - Keller - has been amazing. If Chayka can be accused of anything, it's probably too much loyalty to players like Domingue and Schenn when the team clearly needs to move on. That's about it.

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

He has had one summer of control

lol. I can just see this logic being used again and again until the end of time: "Okay, he's been GM for eight years now, but only just this last summer did he really have control for the first time because the owners let him buy a new computer that can actually handle his spreadsheets. Watch out league!"

 

[XX]

lol. I can just see this logic being used again and again until the end of time: "Okay, he's been GM for eight years now, but only just this last summer did he really have control for the first time because the owners let him buy a new computer that can actually handle his spreadsheets. Watch out league!"

It gets used one time. The one time where he actually gets control and final say over the roster. Every move before that can be attributed to the guy that had actual control and final say, which was Tippett. That's how responsibility works. It's not a difficult concept for most adults.

 

[983 others]

One summer of control and he built the worst roster in the NHL by a huge margin.

Not a top 3 GM, sorry.

 

[TrillMike]

I thought the Yotes would have been better heading into the season.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I love it.

As we have seen --not getting the right picks will kill your team if you try and build through the draft. And if you have no assets....or arn't gifted assets by the league.....then you have to knock everything out of the park to rebuild properly (drafting, development, FA, pro scouting).

The league changed the rules to make this even more difficult and its so so so awesome that this is going to hurt their precious desert franchise the most.

...and of course the Oilers hit the jackpot once the rules were changed. So nice.

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

It gets used one time. The one time where he actually gets control and final say over the roster.

But he JUST had a summer of that. You said as much. The team is now on pace for its worse season ever. So much for his "control" and "final say".

Every move before that can be attributed to the guy that had actual control and final say, which was Tippett. That's how responsibility works. It's not a difficult concept for most adults.

Nobody cares about Tippett now, champ. It's all on Chayka, and so far, the young man is well on his way to not only a dumpster fire year unparalleled in Coyotes history, but all-time. That's a truly special accomplishment, and a shame he couldn't have done it last year so as to be included in those centennial celebrations the league was doing.

You can try and stick that on the previous regime all you like, but everyone knows it's Chayka and his calculator driving the bus now. Next excuse?

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

I love it.

As we have seen --not getting the right picks will kill your team if you try and build through the draft. And if you have no assets....or arn't gifted assets by the league.....then you have to knock everything out of the park to rebuild properly (drafting, development, FA, pro scouting).

The league changed the rules to make this even more difficult and its so so so awesome that this is going to hurt their precious desert franchise the most.

...and of course the Oilers hit the jackpot once the rules were changed. So nice.

It's really, truly something special. Leave it to Bettman and the NHL to try and rig things in their favor, only to end up benefiting the team they seem to despise the most.

 

[Nick Hansen]

Try and deliver some concrete criticism other than 'muh spreadsheets'. What was wrong about his trades this summer? Getting Stepan, Hjalmarsson and Raanta were good moves IMO. Now the issue is if Rick Tocchet is good enough. Doesn't seem so.

 

[XX]

But he JUST had a summer of that. You said as much. The team is now on pace for its worse season ever. So much for his "control" and "final say".

Nobody cares about Tippett now, champ. It's all on Chayka, and so far, the young man is well on his way to not only a dumpster fire year unparalleled in Coyotes history, but all-time. That's a truly special accomplishment, and a shame he couldn't have done it last year so as to be included in those centennial celebrations the league was doing.

You can try and stick that on the previous regime all you like, but everyone knows it's Chayka and his calculator driving the bus now. Next excuse?

You aren't demonstrating understanding of the actual moves made and if they're good or not. You're just navel gazing at the standings. That's pretty obvious.

They're also not on an 'all time' dumpster fire pace, especially not over the last 8 games since moving on from a rookie goalie and a terrible goalie. The entire roster has yet to be healthy. The best case scenario for this year with so many young players was still a bottom 10 team. I don't know what people expect. I'd expand on the issues at an individual level but you don't seem interested in learning.

 

[jvr32]

In a theory when you come to a new franchise and your team has sucked for a long time, you're given time and patience to fix the mess your predecessor left to you. But that isn't the case with Chayka. The team is constructed by Chayka. He started with a clean plate and has made a lot of mistakes and bad signings. He has brought in three of the four defenseman who have been paid top 4 money in Hjalmarsson, Demers and Goligoski and Chayka didn't realize why he got them so cheap and nobody else was prepared to pay the price he was. As well as starting the season with ECHL caliber third defense pairing in Connauton and Luke Schenn. Then starting the season ECHL caliber in net with Domingue without a proper backup for him was crucial and which has already ruined Arizona's season. I'd still give him time but the way he has built the defense is a big concern.

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

You aren't demonstrating understanding of the actual moves made and if they're good or not. You're just navel gazing at the standings. That's pretty obvious.

The standings are supposed to be the demonstration of those moves. I'm sorry if Chayka has snowed you and the rest of the Arizona fanbase with his focus on acronyms and fancy charts, but that's all that matters. There is literally nothing else that is relevant when determining the failure or success of sports teams.

They're also not on an 'all time' dumpster fire pace

8-67-5 is the "record". The Coyotes are on pace for... wait for it... 9-60-13.

especially not over the last 8 games since moving on from a rookie goalie and a terrible goalie.

Almost like Chayka should have known that was a bad idea. Weird how that works, huh?

The entire roster has yet to be healthy.

As have myriad other teams this year. Not an excuse.

The best case scenario for this year with so many young players was still a bottom 10 team.

Really? Chayka sold the future in the form of the 7th overall pick, Murphy and others for a bottom ten finish? That's what you'd have us believe?

I don't know what people expect.

Not the worst- err, sorry, second-worst- season of all-time? That'd be a start. Then maybe a sniff at the playoffs given he traded away so many assets and has signed or acquired so many vets the last two years.

I'd expand on the issues at an individual level but you don't seem interested in learning.

Unless the issue you wish to address is that you refuse to acknowledge that the standings are all that matter when determining NHL success, you'd be right on count.

 

[XX]

In a theory when you come to a new franchise and your team has sucked for a long time, you're given time and patience to fix the mess your predecessor left to you. But that isn't the case with Chayka. The team is constructed by Chayka. He started with a clean plate and has made a lot of mistakes and bad signings. He has brought in three of the four defenseman who have been paid top 4 money in Hjalmarsson, Demers and Goligoski and Chayka didn't realize why he got them so cheap and nobody else was prepared to pay the price he was. As well as starting the season with ECHL caliber third defense pairing in Connauton and Luke Schenn. Then starting the season ECHL caliber in net with Domingue without a proper backup for him was crucial and which has already ruined Arizona's season. I'd still give him time but the way he has built the defense is a big concern.

Demers and Hjalmarsson have been good, Hjalmarsson has just been hurt. Goligoski was not solely his signing and I'm sure he'd move on if he was given the chance, but I doubt anyone wants that contract. The injuries to Chychrun and Hjalmarsson have forced Connauton and Schenn into regular usage, which wasn't the plan. Kyle Wood was expected to make a push in camp to replace Schenn but that didn't work out. They traded DeAngelo for Stepan so the right side suddenly has issues on the 3rd pair. Domingue played well down the stretch and earned a shot as backup coming into the year. Nobody really would have guessed he'd turn in a historically bad performance and that Raanta would start the year with a lingering injury.

Other players have also taken a step back, like OEL. Rieder and Richardson are both coming off of bad knee injuries and have lost a step. Rieder in particular looks replacement level now, which is a shame. Max Domi is shooting an absurdly low percentage and can't finish anything for some reason. If you take away 2 top 4 D, both goalies, and two top scoring players, most teams look like shit. It's not surprising.

They've been better than the record indicates. Scored first in the majority of their games, just having trouble closing them out with a young, in flux roster.

Almost like Chayka should have known that was a bad idea. Weird how that works, huh?

As have myriad other teams this year. Not an excuse.

Really? Chayka sold the future in the form of the 7th overall pick, Murphy and others for a bottom ten finish? That's what you'd have us believe?

Domingue earned another look with his play down the stretch, he just failed. It happens. Most teams don't do well losing 2 top 4 and their starting goalie, but "muh standings" is all that you need to 100% understand team performance apparently so that's lost on you. LOL at Murphy being 'the future', by the way.

 

[PatrikOverAuston]

But that isn't the case with Chayka. The team is constructed by Chayka. He started with a clean plate and has made a lot of mistakes and bad signings.

I don't think as many would be so critical of his performance if he'd done exactly what most expected: rebuild. There was no reason from a hockey standpoint to do anything but collect more high picks and look ahead.

Instead, his focus almost from Day One was to immediately add veterans at all positions- culminating in him burning a top-ten pick on Derek freakin' Stepan.

In that case, no, he doesn't get the benefit of patience. His plan is clearly to win now. Not only is he falling short of that, but he's somehow built a worse team than any GM before him even given all the off-ice drama that's surrounded the Coyotes since the Gretzky days.

That the team's fans still cling to this idea that he's a competent general manager never mind a good one is absolutely unfathomable. They should be insulted and upset, not braggadocios. It defies belief.

 

[Mr Positive]

he was always revered too much, but oddly I'm more on his side now than before even with his poor results. It's just that people liked him before this last summer of moves, and I don't think he made bad moves. When you don't have a starter, you have to gamble on someone like Raanta. Stepan was a good add too, as well as Hjarlmasson. Sometimes things just don't pan out, and hockey is not like baseball or basketball where you can get success reliably by winning the battle on paper. But it is always enticing because sometimes it does work, and the alternative is to just wait and wait for your young guys to show something

But yes, without results the GM should have a bad rep, end of story. The same goes for my own team's GM. Chia had a good rep last season for the good playoff run, but right now his esteem should be knocked down a couple pegs.

 

[jvr32]

I don't think as many would be so critical of his performance if he'd done exactly what most expected: rebuild. There was no reason from a hockey standpoint to do anything but collect more high picks and look ahead.

Instead, his focus almost from Day One was to immediately add veterans at all positions- culminating in him burning a top-ten pick on Derek freakin' Stepan.

In that case, no, he doesn't get the benefit of patience. His plan is clearly to win now. Not only is he falling short of that, but he's somehow built a worse team than any GM before him even given all the off-ice drama that's surrounded the Coyotes since the Gretzky days.

That the team's fans still cling to this idea that he's a competent general manager never mind a good one is absolutely unfathomable. They should be insulted and upset, not braggadocios. It defies belief.

I disagree that Chayka should have tanked even more and not go for it in the summer. At some point, enough is enough. Arizona has had enough bad seasons. Keller, Strome, Domi and Chychrun were/are expected to be good players that you can build a solid team around, with players like Dvorak, Crouse, Duclair and Perlini playing more the second fiddle. And Ekman-Larsson doesn't re-sign if Arizona doesn't show any sign of success. But how Chayka has gone about it is awful. That Stepan-7th pick trade was bad. Raanta is UFA for next season and Hjalmarsson/Ekman-Larsson the season after that. I don't see why they would stay without massive over-payment because you'd imagine they want to play in a winning environment instead of the numb losing since November that is going on right now without any hope of making the playoffs. They probably want to live the life and feel the emotional scale of a hockey player. After all I have no insight what's inside their heads but right now Arizona is a awful place to be as a NHLer and big part of recognition should go to Chayka who has failed to bring the right players in.

 

[WesMcCauley]

But he JUST had a summer of that. You said as much. The team is now on pace for its worse season ever. So much for his "control" and "final say".



Nobody cares about Tippett now, champ. It's all on Chayka, and so far, the young man is well on his way to not only a dumpster fire year unparalleled in Coyotes history, but all-time. That's a truly special accomplishment, and a shame he couldn't have done it last year so as to be included in those centennial celebrations the league was doing.

You can try and stick that on the previous regime all you like, but everyone knows it's Chayka and his calculator driving the bus now. Next excuse?

The best thing to happen to them is to get another high pick. He has tons of young players on the team. That roster needed time to become a playoff team no matter what they did this summer. Chayka added some very good players who will help them be good going forward. Specially Stepan. They will benefit from a bad season so they can add another high pick that will help them longterm.

 

[jvr32]

Demers and Hjalmarsson have been good, Hjalmarsson has just been hurt. Goligoski was not solely his signing and I'm sure he'd move on if he was given the chance, but I doubt anyone wants that contract. The injuries to Chychrun and Hjalmarsson have forced Connauton and Schenn into regular usage, which wasn't the plan. Kyle Wood was expected to make a push in camp to replace Schenn but that didn't work out. They traded DeAngelo for Stepan so the right side suddenly has issues on the 3rd pair. Domingue played well down the stretch and earned a shot as backup coming into the year. Nobody really would have guessed he'd turn in a historically bad performance and that Raanta would start the year with a lingering injury.

Other players have also taken a step back, like OEL. Rieder and Richardson are both coming off of bad knee injuries and have lost a step. Rieder in particular looks replacement level now, which is a shame. Max Domi is shooting an absurdly low percentage and can't finish anything for some reason. If you take away 2 top 4 D, both goalies, and two top scoring players, most teams look like ****. It's not surprising.

They've been better than the record indicates. Scored first in the majority of their games, just having trouble closing them out with a young, in flux roster.

I think that before the season many were concerned that Raanta wasn't enough and they needed a new backup to partner him. There was solid backups available at the start of the season in waivers and he ended up paying 5th round pick for Wedgewood who was in waivers as well. Domingue had shown very questionable signs already last season. Same goes to the defense where Connauton and Schenn simply are not qualified replacements. But it is very difficult to forgive Chayka for the lack of backup plan but can only hope that he has learned his lesson.

 

[Whileee]

Looks like he misjudged his roster and mistimed his "let's trade futures to go for it now" strategy.

Oh, and does anyone like the coach he hired?

 

[VoidCreature]

This might be the most powerful jinx thread in the history of the forums.

 

[Bloomberg]

If Coyotes get Dahlin, then sure.

 

[MisterNoItAll]

Imo he is a top 3 despite arizona being last. He’s been a GM for only 18 month, no much you can’t do in that time frame.he also has to run organization super tigh on cash.Less money means less scouting , can’t spend to the cap , internal budget , ect....he can’t even fire the coach lol

That's a definite oxymoron.

 

[MisterNoItAll]

Coyotes are the perfect team to tank year in and year out. They have a weak fanbase, there's like 7 sports probably ahead of Hockey in that state. Tank for a good 5 years, acquire picks, build a powerhouse team, become contenders and then people will start coming to watch games. This is a team that has been in continual purgatory.