The reporter who covered Arizona for 29 years just called John Chayka a fraud
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
John Gambadoro covered John Chayka in his 29 years working as a reporter for the Coyotes, and his opinion on John Chayka has everyone's attention right now.
For 29 years, John Gambadoro has been the voice of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM and covering all aspects of the state's sporting world from the Cardinals in the NHL, the Diamondbacks of the MLB, and of course — the Coyotes when they were in both Phoenix and Arizona respectively.
He's someone who is beloved and respected in Arizona media and he was dead centre in the middle of John Chayka's reign as GM of the Coyotes from 2016-2020. Obviously things didn't go as smoothly for Chayka during his time there, and he left under some pretty rough circumstances.
Back in the fold now as the Head of Hockey Operations and GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chayka is now tasked with bringing hockey's biggest city a Stanley Cup. While it's not going to be easy, it's a different route the team is taking to try and bring them their first title in nearly 60 years.
Though the conference wasn't without fireworks after Steve Simmons questioned the hiring of Chayka and explained others had called it 'a sham'.
Gambadoro revealed every criticism of John Chayka and reinforced what everyone is already thinking
But Gambadoro wasn't too keen on the hiring of Chayka either, and echoed Simmons while simultaneously blasting Chayka him on social media with some pretty harsh criticism.
Though if anyone knows him — it's the long time host:
This is incredible. Chayka was a total fraud here. Cost the Coyotes first and second round picks for cheating. Quit on the team right before the bubble. Stabbed Don Maloney in the back to get the gig here.
The way he treated Shane Doan was despicable - wanted him GONE - would not even consider letting him play one last year on the third line - was just jealous of him. Chayka is a fake. Only his connection to Tie Domi is getting him this job.
The way he treated Shane Doan was despicable - wanted him GONE - would not even consider letting him play one last year on the third line - was just jealous of him. Chayka is a fake. Only his connection to Tie Domi is getting him this job.
Well, you can't get any more volatile than that. You'd of thought Chayka ran over Gambadoro's pet dog or something with the amount of vitriol, but there's no doubt in his tirade he brings up some good points.
First off, Chayka indeed cost the Coyotes precious draft assets after illegally testing prospects, and then resigned on literally the night before the playoffs began. While he signed Doan to his 21st year with the Coyotes, it was a deferred deal with a backloaded contract. Call it business savvy or a reason to pay Doan less; it's no way to treat him.
The Tie Domi connection is the biggest talking point and everyone wants to stay silent
The interesting part however is the connection to Tie Domi. It's no secret that Chayka and Tie's son Max have close ties and if Gambadoro is to be believed that means that Tie may have been in CEO Keith Pelley's ear to get his friend the job.
Was it really the analytics-based mind of Chayka that got him the job, or Domi's insistence that his buddy has the tools to run the show. Couple it with Neil Glasberg's connection to Chayka and the puzzle pieces are starting to fit.
Keith Pelley said he interviewed 27 candidates and landed on Chayka, immediately confident and impressed with his vision. Sadly, we never really heard that vision from the get-go, and the CEO's distaste for any details prevented any deeper interrogation.
First we went from mid-late May as the deadline, then it was before the lottery, then it was a week before that, then the lottery again. We got the hiring two days prior. Is the due diligence really there when you had candidates still in the running on the day you hired Chayka?
It felt like once Chayka's name was brought up, that was the inevitable choice no matter what the rest of the interviewees said.
Keith Pelley spent a month and change finding Chayka impressive.
Gambadoro spent nearly thirty years in Arizona and saw Chayka's destruction first-hand.
I know who I would rather trust to tell me about the new leader of the Maple Leafs and sure as heck isn't a blue-rimmed, glasses wearing CEO.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
The first moves of the Chayka era involve Craig Berube and Shane Doan and neither went the way fans expected
The first moves of the Chayka era involve Craig Berube and Shane Doan and neither went the way fans expected
Previously on Hockey Patrol