John Chayka was barely 10 days into the job when he made the call that no new general manager wants to make first. Craig Berube, hired just two years ago to steady a franchise in chaos, was let go Wednesday after Toronto finished 32-36-14 and missed the playoffs for the first time in Auston Matthews' career. Chayka's arrival alongside senior advisor Mats Sundin was supposed to signal a fresh start. Firing a coach within the first two weeks was not exactly subtle.
Did Auston Matthews' future push Toronto to fire Craig Berube?
The question came quickly after Craig Berube's dismissal because the circumstances around Toronto are impossible to ignore. Auston Matthews has not publicly committed himself beyond his current deal, and the organization is entering another period of change after finishing 32-36-14 and missing the playoffs for the first time in his career.
Chayka did not dance around the issue. Asked directly whether Matthews' uncertainty played any role in Berube losing his job, the new GM responded plainly: “None. Zero.”
The response felt intentional. There was no attempt to soften the wording or leave room for interpretation. In a market where every leadership decision is often tied back to the franchise star, Chayka appeared determined to separate the coaching change from Matthews' contract situation before the narrative gained momentum. At the same time, he did not pretend the firing was isolated to one bad season or one coach. Chayka explained that his first 10 days with senior advisor Mats Sundin involved extensive conversations throughout the organization, from hockey operations staff to players and support personnel. Those meetings convinced management that broader structural changes were needed.
“We didn’t make this decision in a vacuum. This is a bigger picture decision. It is not just about a coach.”
That wider framing matters because Toronto's problems last season stretched well beyond systems or line combinations. Matthews missed the final stretch of the 2025-26 campaign with a torn MCL, and the club never recovered. Despite recording another strong individual season, the 28-year-old watched the Leafs slide out of playoff contention while questions around the organization's direction continued to build.
Chayka seems aware that his relationship with Matthews could define this next era. Rather than rushing into formal negotiations or public declarations, he described a slower and more deliberate process.
“We’ve had conversations. I think it was important for me to get a good lay of the land in terms of internal workings and what we had in place here. I wanted to make sure that we had all the knowledge we could possibly have, so when we sit down, we can have the best discussion.”
The language around Matthews also stood out because Chayka repeatedly referred to players as partners, not leverage points. “I view the players as our partners. Auston is an accomplished player who is world-class. He wants to align with the vision and the strategy ahead, as do we.”
Toronto now begins another coaching search with its franchise player still evaluating the organization's direction. Chayka's first major move may not have settled the uncertainty around Matthews, but it established one thing early. He intends to answer difficult questions directly and control the tone of this transition himself.
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