For many reasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been the talk of the hockey world this week, and while media coverage is important, the New Jersey Devils have probably never been happier to be out of the spotlight.
On Sunday, former Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka was sworn in as the new boss of the Maple Leafs, marking his return to the NHL after a five-year hiatus. Chayka, who last worked for the Coyotes back in 2021, was suspended by the NHL for pursuing other opportunities, rumored to be the Devils after the late Ray Shero was fired, as well as terminating his contract with Arizona with three years left on it.
The Devils, of course, ended up with Tom Fitzgerald after Shero's departure, and the disgraced Chayka faded into obscurity... until this week. Chayka's reputation has been the subject of wild controversy for the last several days, and to put the cherry on top, he's now got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to work with, too.
As for the Devils? Well, Chayka was a name that had been floated out there a good amount due to his previous links to the organization, though HBSE and the remnants of the Devils' front office were wise to secure Florida Panthers AGM Sunny Mehta as their new GM.
Mehta, for all intents and purposes, was a widely celebrated hire around the league and in the media, and it certainly helps that Mehta was overjoyed to take the role as a childhood Devils fan. He wanted the Devils job, and the Devils made it happen. No further fanfare required.
The Devils were no strangers to bad press this past season, with Jack Hughes cutting his hand at a steakhouse, coming back at less than 100%, then shaking off another injury to play in the Winter Olympics. I couldn't care less, but some fans out there believe Hughes put the Olympics before the Devils. At worst, it was divisive, but that's in the past now either way.
The Maple Leafs may regret their John Chayka hiring; the Devils won't regret Sunny Mehta
Fitzgerald, of course, missed out on Quinn Hughes, who was dealt to the Minnesota Wild for a hefty package earlier in the season, and then just about the whole league found out that multiple Devils players were unhappy with being asked to waive their trade protection for a Hughes trade everybody knew was coming. Then he did nothing at the NHL trade deadline and was promptly dismissed at the beginning of April.
But, for once this year, the Devils can point at Chayka and the Maple Leafs and be glad that isn't them. If they hadn't locked down Mehta when they did, it very well could have been them.
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