The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a bold—and controversial—move by hiring John Chayka as their new general manager. But not everyone is celebrating. One of the most plugged-in insiders from Chayka's time with the Arizona Coyotes is sounding the alarm, calling the new Leafs boss a "total fraud."

John Gambadoro, a longtime Phoenix sports insider, watched Chayka's introductory press conference in Toronto with disbelief. He took to social media to air grievances that paint a troubling picture of the former Coyotes executive, including allegations of rule-breaking, questionable personnel moves, and strained relationships with team legends.

Chayka made history when he became the youngest GM in NHL history at just 26 years old, taking the reins of the Coyotes in 2016. But his tenure was short-lived. By 2020, he was out—and his exit came with baggage. The NHL suspended Chayka for a year after an investigation found that the Coyotes had violated league rules during his watch, costing the franchise first- and second-round draft picks. Gambadoro also claims Chayka quit on the team just before the NHL's pandemic bubble playoffs, a move that left many in the organization feeling abandoned.

Perhaps the most damning accusations involve how Chayka treated people. Gambadoro says Chayka "stabbed" former Coyotes GM Don Maloney in the back to land the job in the first place. He also alleges that Chayka's treatment of Coyotes legend Shane Doan was "despicable"—that Chayka wanted Doan gone and refused to allow him to play a farewell season, reportedly out of jealousy.

But the criticism doesn't stop at character. Gambadoro warns Leafs fans to check Chayka's draft record, which he calls "brutal." While Chayka did select star forward Clayton Keller, his misses are glaring. In 2017, he chose Pierre-Olivier Joseph over future stars Jake Oettinger and Jason Robertson. In 2018, he picked Barrett Hayton while passing on elite defensemen Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard, and Noah Dobson. Those whiffs have haunted the Coyotes ever since.

So why did the Maple Leafs hire him? Gambadoro suggests it may come down to connections—specifically Chayka's relationship with Leafs alumni Tie Domi. Whether that's enough to succeed in the pressure cooker of Toronto remains to be seen. For now, Leafs fans have plenty of reasons to be skeptical.