[News] ARZ Promotes 26-year-old John Chayka to GM. Tipett Coach and Exec. VP of hockey ops.

[Fire]

I can see this turning in a disaster for the Coyotes with him relying on advanced stats too heavily, but time will tell.

[J epworth]

Originally Posted by getbak

He was born two weeks after the Flames won the Stanley Cup.

I also was born two weeks after they won the cup, and went to Western. I'm still waiting on the GM offer. Any day now.

[greentree]

It matters not how bright he is.
He has exceedingly little experience at anything, including, er, life.
Players won't respect him, coaches will try to run over him, and even if he pushes back, which he will have to try to do, it will be very uncomfortable for everyone.
Totally bizarre.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by greentree

It matters not how bright he is.
He has exceedingly little experience at anything, including, er, life.
Players won't respect him, coaches will try to run over him, and even if he pushes back, which he will have to try to do, it will be very uncomfortable for everyone.
Totally bizarre.

Time for Treliving to raid his old club with his book on all the ARI players from his time there!

[getbak]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

26?! That's pretty surprising... But does that mean he was Asst GM at 24!? Noe sure what he could have done in that timeframe to merit that job?

He was hired last year, so he was 25 (but only weeks away from turning 26).


Here's his company's website: http://www.stathletes.com/

Unlike most so-called "advanced stats" people, who just combine existing numbers and pretend they've discovered something new, these people seem to be actually tracking the games themselves and doing real analytics. They're tracking actual possession stats and not just adding and subtracting shot attempts and pretending they're looking at possession numbers.

There is a lot more to being a GM than just knowing who has the best underlying numbers. Those are the areas where he'll need a solid support structure, but as the GM, he'll still be the final decision maker.

[codynw]

This is good news because it will end any talk of Tippet coaching the Flames.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

He definitely looks like a math nerd. Probably like Crowe on beautiful mind, just with advanced stats instead.

Was that wrong to say? Hard to keep up with the PC police

[edslunch]

GM is a people job not a numbers job

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by edslunch

GM is a people job not a numbers job

I think a 27 year old will have a tough time navigating the shark filled waters that is being a NHL GM, unless he is really, really good at dealing with people. Maybe this guy is but I think they are almost setting him up to fail. My guess is that Tippet is the actual GM but this kid holds the title until he is ready to take it full time. Odd appoach from a team that needs to win now. Basically a co-GM situation where both are rookies. At least Toronto has Lou to mentor Dubas.

[Poster]

Originally Posted by edslunch

GM is a people job not a numbers job

I have to agree. Really the main asset of being in hockey operations Is your network. That's why so many hockey players are in management. These guys play with guys who go one to be scouts, college coaches, junior executives.

When they need info on a player, they can get it.

Its a who you know job x 1000 and just isn't old enough to have built a robust enough network. They will need to surround him with entrenched hockey people, like Dave Tippit.

Anyhow I am happy for the kid and also look forward to seeing a broader application of analytics. I am not a big believer in them but perhaps he will prove me wrong!

Good luck and congratulations!

[Roof-Daddy]

Well, I hope this blows up in their faces terribly.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Jacks

Hopefully Brad makes a couple of deals with him soon, just to get the young fella some experience.

Maybe this kid turns into another Doug Risebrough where we can trade Wideman for Max Domi

[Reggie Dunlop]

Sadly, Mudcrutch was overlooked for this position.

[MrMike]

For Arizona to be competitive he better pull a full on Moneyball

[Flames_F.T.W]

I'm sure this guy will surround himself with a sound culture of knowledgeable and experienced hockey minds. It will be interesting to see how it unfolds

[UKflames]

Wow, jealousy is a terrible thing and there is a a lot of that flying around this thread.

[VladtheImpaler]

Good for the kid. I am old enough to remember the glorious days when Harold Ballard put Gordie Stellick in charge of the Leafs.

[ernie]

Why would he have trouble working in these circles and with respect? He's been working in these circles since he was 19/20. He has been a consultant to clubs. He was an assistant GM. He is already in the circle and it appears is highly respected.

He may by a "numbers guy" but clearly to start a company at the age he did, become a consultant to NHL teams and get hired in as an assistant GM and now GM you have to also be a people person. I would imagine that given his experience he knows not just how to look at numbers but how to manage people to look at numbers for him. Or any sort of data for him.

[Pointman]

FWIW, Chayka is russian name. It means seagull.

[Erick Estrada]

This will be a very interesting hire. NHL and professional sports in general are very copy cat and if this endeavor is successful for the Coyotes I can see a shift towards GM's with an analytics based body of work. However if it bombs you are probably going to see a lot of "I told you so" talk amongst the league.