The Toronto Maple Leafs officially hired John Chayka as general manager on Sunday. Chayka returns to the NHL after leading the now-defunct Arizona Coyotes from 2016 until 2020. He replaces the recently-fired Brad Treliving, who lost his job before the 2025-26 season ended. Chayka’s arrival means the team is heading in a brand new direction.
Nonetheless, Toronto will not be done making changes. Actually, there may be one name who’s reportedly on his way out. The Maple Leafs and assistant general manager Shane Doan could possibly be parting ways, based on The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta.
“With Chayka & Sundin now at the highest of the Hockey Ops totem pole in Toronto, expect a number of more front office changes to eventually occur. Amongst them, I’m told Shane Doan’s tenure with the Maple Leafs is coming to an end,” Pagnotta reported on social media on Sunday night.
Doan, a former player, retired from hockey in 2017. He began his front office profession in 2021 when he was hired by the Coyotes in a hockey development role. The previous Yotes captain left the franchise prior to its relocation to Salt Lake City, Utah, after two seasons in Arizona’s front office.
He joined Toronto as a special advisor to the final manager in 2023. Doan joined as Toronto moved on from Kyle Dubas and hired Treliving as general manager. The Maple Leafs made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Nonetheless, they missed the postseason in 2026, which has prompted major changes across the organization.
Doan has some front office experience under his belt and will look to proceed constructing toward becoming a GM himself someday. It should actually be interesting to see what his future holds because the Maple Leafs proceed their organizational shakeup.
The Toronto Maple Leafs officially hired John Chayka as general manager on Sunday. Chayka returns to the NHL after leading the now-defunct Arizona Coyotes from 2016 until 2020. He replaces the recently-fired Brad Treliving, who lost his job before the 2025-26 season ended. Chayka’s arrival means the team is heading in a brand new direction.