Confirmed with Link: Chayka Out - The Fallout and Search for his Replacement
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DOTS13
Werewolf of London
I still can't believe that game / comment... "We get under their skin by blocking shots or chipping the puck out."
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
This one really feels like the truth. It seems to fit. My only concern is maybe Chayka and the Devils never really stopped talking after the Hall trade.
I mean, the Devils fired Shero abruptly and unexpectedly shortly thereafter. Then they left the job vacant for quite sometime. They didn’t fill it permanently until right around the time things started getting messy here in Arizona.
Also, it seems Chayka was really trying to “finesse” things before he supposedly knew what it was about. Like he already knew and there was already a relationship there. Like maybe Chayka and the Devils were working as a team to sneak this past Meruelo and the Coyotes.
Then Chayka asks out of his deal extremely abruptly, in a way that shocks Meruelo. It seems like the Coyotes wanted to reconcile and stay together. But Chayka had his mind made up. It seems like he got there awfully quick. Almost as if he’s been working with the Devils longer then he wants to let on.
I think this “affair” started a hell of a lot earlier than when Chayka told Meruelo it was cool if he went out on a date with that guy. Totally platonic. Nothing to worry about. Then next thing you know *BOOM* He wants a divorce and doesn’t even want to try to work it out. It’s fishy. Real fishy.
EDIT: might explain why Chayka never bothered to address the coaching situation, never bothered to buy more pieces to fix it, and also didn’t decide to sell off pieces and admit failure. After the Hall trade, he did nothing at all. Just sat on his hands. Maybe because he already knew he was done here.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
When did stretch gate happen? Did Chayka throw caution to the wind because he knew he was playing with house money?
Neighborhood Coyote
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- Sep 14, 2017
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This comment made me think.Someone needs to make one of those memes like this but replace "her ex" with... "the guy she said not to worry about" using the Yotes, Chayka, Devils, Bettman... etc. haha.
Or ownership, having spent to the cap, wanted to ride things out and see if they make the playoffs. Seems far more likely than a GM just openly neglecting his duties and nobody noticing.
The 'after the season' part is what bothers me. They should have just cleaned out his shit, released a short statement, and moved on. If you want to hold him to the NCC, do it quietly through the league.
If I owned any NHL team I would not consider Chayka for any position. Everything written so far shows him an having little honor. His word is meaningless to me.
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/29555087/why-were-arizona-coyotes-angry-gm-john-chayka-quit
This article outlines the timeline pretty well. It's also pretty damning on how Chayka has handled this. Greg is very well connected on top of it. Couple thoughts:
1. How could NJ not have expressed interest after interacting with JC during the Hall trade negotiations? How soon does the formal offer come after the trade is completed?
2. How does the stipulations in the Hall trade affect Chayka's lack of deadline moves, both around Tocchet and the lack of players acquired and or sold?
3. It's pretty ridiculous that Chayka couldn't see the rest of the season through. Is that because he was expected to quit when the real NHL season was supposed to end (June) to join the NJ organization? Did COVID really muddy this whole process and put Chayka in a position where he had to cut ties in the fashion which he did rather than a smooth transition?
Edit: didn't realize this got posted, but still have the questions I posted here.
This article outlines the timeline pretty well. It's also pretty damning on how Chayka has handled this. Greg is very well connected on top of it. Couple thoughts:
1. How could NJ not have expressed interest after interacting with JC during the Hall trade negotiations? How soon does the formal offer come after the trade is completed?
2. How does the stipulations in the Hall trade affect Chayka's lack of deadline moves, both around Tocchet and the lack of players acquired and or sold?
3. It's pretty ridiculous that Chayka couldn't see the rest of the season through. Is that because he was expected to quit when the real NHL season was supposed to end (June) to join the NJ organization? Did COVID really muddy this whole process and put Chayka in a position where he had to cut ties in the fashion which he did rather than a smooth transition?
Edit: didn't realize this got posted, but still have the questions I posted here.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
12/03: NJ allows Shero to fire Hynes
12/16: NJ allows Shero to trade Hall to AZ
01/16: NJ unexpectedly fires Shero
01/30: Dreger reports prospect combine investigation
07/09: NJ officially announces Fitzgerald as GM
07/21: Leaks about Chayka-less Hall dinner
07/27: Chayka resigns as AZ GM
^ this is an EXTREMELY suspicious timeline.
EDIT:
GM fires his coach (almost always buys a GM another season), and is allowed to trade the team's star-player two weeks later (obviously GM not in serious trouble) and then the team fires the GM a month later (still a month ahead of the TDL). Very strange. Looks like the contact with Chayka could have been the deciding factor in what happened to Shero. I'm not saying this is proof, but it would explain it if it were true. Then New Jersey leaves the GM spot vacant for SIX months. Which is wild.
Meanwhile in Arizona, Chayka is running illegal combines like he's got nothing to lose (because maybe he doesn't) and sits there, on his hands, standing idly by as the team he put together starts absolutely free-falling in the standings, going from first to worst, and he does NOTHING. Again, there is no proof here. But it would explain a lot of things if he was already in bed with NJ.
Then, not even two weeks after NJ FINALLY fills the GM spot, everything starts exploding here in Arizona on the GM front. Extremely convenient. Almost like the two things are tied together. Which they would be, if Chayka was already in bed with NJ.
Greg Wyshynski's article says: "This is where things fell apart. The Coyotes felt it was a pattern of misrepresentation," a source said. "He tried to finesse it. There are some people that just think they're the smartest people in the room, and every now and then it comes back to bite them."
Referencing this timeline:
"According to a source, Chayka came to Meruelo seeking permission to speak with the owner under the premise that it wasn't a job interview; making the argument that previous Coyotes owners would have let him have the conversation, as it was intended to "build relationships with owners in hockey" and "get market knowledge."
Spoiler warning: It ended up being a job interview.
After Chayka requested his release to leave for the new job, sources said Meruelo "felt lied to" and "betrayed" after the previous conversation, the contract extension and the financial commitment to Chayka's plan for the Coyotes, which included a December 2019 blockbuster trade for Devils winger Taylor Hall."
"This is where things fell apart. The Coyotes felt it was a pattern of misrepresentation," a source said. "He tried to finesse it. There are some people that just think they're the smartest people in the room, and every now and then it comes back to bite them."
^ which would make EVEN MORE sense if Chayka had actually been in bed with New Jersey since last Winter. How applicable is "He tried to finesse it. There are some people that just think they're the smartest people in the room, and every now and then it comes back to bite them." in this case? Extremely.
12/16: NJ allows Shero to trade Hall to AZ
01/16: NJ unexpectedly fires Shero
01/30: Dreger reports prospect combine investigation
07/09: NJ officially announces Fitzgerald as GM
07/21: Leaks about Chayka-less Hall dinner
07/27: Chayka resigns as AZ GM
^ this is an EXTREMELY suspicious timeline.
EDIT:
GM fires his coach (almost always buys a GM another season), and is allowed to trade the team's star-player two weeks later (obviously GM not in serious trouble) and then the team fires the GM a month later (still a month ahead of the TDL). Very strange. Looks like the contact with Chayka could have been the deciding factor in what happened to Shero. I'm not saying this is proof, but it would explain it if it were true. Then New Jersey leaves the GM spot vacant for SIX months. Which is wild.
Meanwhile in Arizona, Chayka is running illegal combines like he's got nothing to lose (because maybe he doesn't) and sits there, on his hands, standing idly by as the team he put together starts absolutely free-falling in the standings, going from first to worst, and he does NOTHING. Again, there is no proof here. But it would explain a lot of things if he was already in bed with NJ.
Then, not even two weeks after NJ FINALLY fills the GM spot, everything starts exploding here in Arizona on the GM front. Extremely convenient. Almost like the two things are tied together. Which they would be, if Chayka was already in bed with NJ.
Greg Wyshynski's article says: "This is where things fell apart. The Coyotes felt it was a pattern of misrepresentation," a source said. "He tried to finesse it. There are some people that just think they're the smartest people in the room, and every now and then it comes back to bite them."
Referencing this timeline:
"According to a source, Chayka came to Meruelo seeking permission to speak with the owner under the premise that it wasn't a job interview; making the argument that previous Coyotes owners would have let him have the conversation, as it was intended to "build relationships with owners in hockey" and "get market knowledge."
Spoiler warning: It ended up being a job interview.
After Chayka requested his release to leave for the new job, sources said Meruelo "felt lied to" and "betrayed" after the previous conversation, the contract extension and the financial commitment to Chayka's plan for the Coyotes, which included a December 2019 blockbuster trade for Devils winger Taylor Hall."
"This is where things fell apart. The Coyotes felt it was a pattern of misrepresentation," a source said. "He tried to finesse it. There are some people that just think they're the smartest people in the room, and every now and then it comes back to bite them."
^ which would make EVEN MORE sense if Chayka had actually been in bed with New Jersey since last Winter. How applicable is "He tried to finesse it. There are some people that just think they're the smartest people in the room, and every now and then it comes back to bite them." in this case? Extremely.
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Meruelo should hire you to lead the investigation. rt Coyote P.I.
RABBIT
wasn’t gonna be a fan but Utalked me into it
At this point I don’t care how he left. I just want us to find a better option. The chances of Hall signing we’re pretty slim before all this happened, I truly think he’s gone unless we get an expert in here that can change his mind. Sullivan doesn’t get it done in my opinion. Ferris will smell the fresh meat and play hardball.
Go out and grab Hoffman and Barrie and I will feel better about the situation
Go out and grab Hoffman and Barrie and I will feel better about the situation
I'm interested to see if NJ really bailed on him once the drama picked up or if he still has that job offer.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
If stretch-gate and the lack of action during our free-fall in the standings were both as a result of Chayka already having one-foot out the door because he was already in bed with New Jersey, I want my f***ing pound of flesh. That's sabotage, my man. And we're owed BIG TIME.
Ultimately I think you are right about the deadline lack of activity. However, if I'm Meruelo and want to get compensation for this I would paint the picture that JC actively felt comfortable with the roster, even though they were free falling out of a playoff spot, which ultimately would help NJ pick higher in the draft.
I think kicking up dirt around the NCC publicly is a way to show Bettman that ownership is upset about this and wants retribution. Now the spotlight moves to Bettman and how he will handle the situation to either prevent this from happening again, or to help define moves in management like this.
Serious question: have you ever watched Barrie play? He would instantly become the most hated player on the team, plays almost zero defense and doesn't create enough offense to come close to making up for it. Think of a worse version of OEL for almost the same money.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
Imagine if we hire Shero and NJ walks away from Chayka.
Jimmy and Sharon are married.
Carl and Jan are married.
Jimmy starts sleeping with Jan.
Jimmy divorces Sharon and gets Jan to divorce Carl.
Sharon and Carl end up getting married to each other.
Jimmy ends up telling Jan thanks but no thanks.
Jan ends up alone with her cats.
RABBIT
wasn’t gonna be a fan but Utalked me into it
There would be so much they would have to prove, and I just don’t see that happening. On top of that, John has not taken the position yet. What’s to say New Jersey’s ownership group doesn’t just alter the title of his position so that neither they, or Chayka get in trouble with the league?
Maybe he was going to take the general managers position, or the president of hockey operations position, but now they just alter his role title. If the media didn’t poke around, this might have been much more interesting. Now that it’s all exposed, they can get ahead of this.
I watched him in Colorado, not so much in Toronto. But I know that sometimes players just don’t work out in some environments. You might be right, he may come here and be the exact player he is in Toronto, but he is only a year removed from a pretty good season.
Bettman works for Meruelo, in a literal sense, and NHL.com was happy to repeat the mantra of "Chayka quit on the team." If Chayka lost his offer and is just in the wind, you might actually see a harsh punishment. If the Devils still actively want him for something with Harris Blitzer, it probably quietly goes away with minimal wake. We don't know yet.
If they genuinely blocked an opportunity no reasonable person would refuse then that's going to come back to haunt them. If they blocked a significant pay raise for Chayka, that's going to come back to haunt them. If they in any way meddled in decisions and then kicked him on the way out, that's going to haunt the Coyotes. This is an organization that doesn't need any more haunting.
I would like this to be open and shut but it rarely is.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
I'm sure it wouldn't follow him to NJ. And I'm not talking about driving up the NJ draft pick value. I'm talking about at least being decent (see; not quite so sleezy) that he's not going to trade players away from their families or firing his coaching staff when he knows he's bailing as soon as the season is over anyway.
I once had a boss call me over the Christmas break to tell me she'd convinced my owner to give me a promotion and a raise and agree to hire two new team members to help me in my role. I never spoke to her again. She already had a better offer in hand from another company and was gone by the time we came back to work in January. I sure do appreciate her helping me out before she took off, though.
Chayka didn't have the offer in the bag. He knew it would be difficult to secure his release from the Coyotes. So why would he 'GM' in such a way that it makes him look bad? It's 100x more likely, by my estimation, that a cap team wanted to just ride it out. They weren't going to tear down a team that was on the bubble and if ownership likes the coach then it's not worth it to make a stink to fire him mid season, especially if you yourself think it's really an issue with the players. You are conflating your personal desires with what less rash folks who still have faith would do.
It made total sense to just do nothing after the Hall trade because there's little trade ammo left in the tank and not much else you could do to make the team decisively better. And they weren't going to blow up a team close to the playoffs after spending to the cap.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
It made no sense not to fire the coaches. This situation was SCREAMING for a coaching change. Chayka isn't sentimental. He's barely a mammal.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
Look, I'm not willing to say I actually believe Chayka sabotaged the team because he was talking to New Jersey. But I will say, it absolutely sounds like he was talking to New Jersey before they approached Meruelo. As Wyshynski's source said, "...it was a pattern of misrepresentation...He tried to finesse it. There are some people that just think they're the smartest people in the room, and every now and then it comes back to bite them."
You were screaming for a change. The organization felt differently. I wanted to see a change too, but I also argued why it was likely we wouldn't see one. If they feel, for whatever reason, that Tocchet has earned the right to see out the season, fine. We both didn't like it at the time but I could easily see everyone inside the organization feeling that way.
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