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

[FlamesAddiction]

Part of me is kind of jealous. I mean really, how cool is that to be 26 and a friggin NHL GM? I remember being 26 and thinking I was hot-to-trot because I had a Flames MBNA MasterCard!

This guy must be pretty exceptional though. Like someone else mentioned though, I would worry about his ability to build relationships with the "old boys club", but if the management team handles it right, it might be a non-issue.

More and more, it seems like management hierarchies where the GM has absolute power are being grandfathered out and team management is being implemented. The Flames have been doing this to some degree lately as well.

If Chayka is the numbers guy and signs off on roster moves, and some others take care of negotiations with agents and other GMs, it could probably work really well, at least until Chayka builds his rep.

I say good for him though.

[DJones]

So does this mean that the coach is getting all the power? More of a figurehead than anything?

Seems like he should be in Jonah Hills position, not Brad Pitts haha

[Boblobla]

wrong thread

[CroFlames]

Sure, maybe he's an analytics whiz, and can identify players who will contribute and not contribute. That's one tiny part of being a GM.

Is this guy going to be able to identify when it's time to fire the head coach, and vet new coaches? How about additional staff for other departments?

Most crucially, let's say he identifies a player he wants. Is he going to fare well in negotiations with guys like Treliving, Bowman and other vet GMs? I highly doubt it.

The coyotes would have been wise to keep this kid in an advisory role to an experienced GM so he can gain experience.

[Weitz]

I think people underestimate younger people in Business positions. Sure the "old" boys club might not take to him, but if there is an opportunity to make their team better, they are not going to spurn the young guy to kill any deal.

I would also think a younger guy won't get fleeced. That's reserved for the older dumber GM's around the league (Sweeny, MacT, Benning etc) stuck in some sort of state of "how things should be" and make stupid trades.

[The Yen Man]

Pssh, it's impressive I guess, but it's no Ricardo Grit Index.

[automaton 3]

I don't see how he could have accumulated the experience and knowledge necessary to operate an NHL team in such a short time, but wish him well.

[Flamenspiel]

.nm

[polak]

People twice his age that have accomplished half as much as him are judging him thinking he can't hold his own because he's young. Pretty funny.

The guy is obviously a pretty exceptional mind and Arizona obviously vetted him well. I wouldn't worry about the 26 year old that managed to get himself in one of 30 positions of which most people don't even dream about until their late 40's.

[saillias]

As someone else mentioned earlier I'm just glad this one-ups the Leafs with their wunderkind Dubas. They can stop bragging about how amazing and great he is now.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by polak

People twice his age that have accomplished half as much as him are judging him thinking he can't hold his own because he's young. Pretty funny.

The guy is obviously a pretty exceptional mind and Arizona obviously vetted him well. I wouldn't worry about the 26 year old that managed to get himself in one of 30 positions of which most people don't even dream about until their late 40's.

If I was a fan of the Coyotes, his age would not be a concern to me either. Whether this is a good hire or not, clearly he's accomplished even to be getting this opportunity, and can likely handle himself just fine. That's not to say that he doesn't have anything to learn about being a good GM, or that he might not be wise to surround himself with some experience (like he has in Tippet), but I really wouldn't sweat the age.

What is most interesting to me is as the guys were saying on the FAN this morning, it's the first time we've seen the Analytics guy be the "main guy" (or the Jonah Hill as they put it) on the management team. That's where I most interested to see if this works out for the Coyotes or not.

[automaton 3]

His age is irrelevant imo. As bright and hard working as he likely is - there is still a learning curve. The Coyotes ownership obviously have faith in his potential.

[howard_the_duck]

Good for this kid. I hate to be the cynical one but not your average, highly intelligent guy gets put in the position to be a GM. Dude has to be extremely well connected (*cough* family ties) to even have a sniff of this chance.

Granted, I know nothing about him, so this is probably coming from a place of jealousy

[polak]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Good for this kid. I hate to be the cynical one but not your average, highly intelligent guy gets put in the position to be a GM. Dude has to be extremely well connected (*cough* family ties) to even have a sniff of this chance.

Granted, I know nothing about him, so this is probably coming from a place of jealousy

He ran a statistics company that Arizona used so he likely got in himself.

[Pablothegreat]

I am intrigue by ARZ strategic direction. As someone has already mentioned, very "Moneyball" feel to it and it will be worth watching if they have success.

Of note, do the Flames have a young analytics guru?

[polak]

Originally Posted by Pablothegreat

I am intrigue by ARZ strategic direction. As someone has already mentioned, very "Moneyball" feel to it and it will be worth watching if they have success.

Of note, do the Flames have a young analytics guru?

They definitely have analysts. I can't remember who told me about it but they definitely have analysts and they get paid garbage compared to the corporate world apparently.

[Harry Lime]

Funny reading about this. I guess Moneyball was on Arizona cable last week.

"It's not that hard, Scott. Tell 'em, Wash."
"It's incredibly hard."
"Hey, anything worth doing is."

[Textcritic]

I don't understand the sentiments of jealousy from posters who have no future in NHL hockey operations. How can you be jealous of someone for landing a job any one of us never could?

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I don't understand the sentiments of jealousy from posters who have no future in NHL hockey operations. How can you be jealous of someone for landing a job any one of us never could?

Because if your older than someone you're better at everything. because...experience?

[troutman]

The Brewers hired a 30 year old GM in 2015.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/8079106/

[Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, was hired by Boston in November 2002 at the age of 28, which at the time made him the youngest GM in baseball history. Since then, he's led the Red Sox to World Series crowns in 2004 and 2007. His record was eclipsed by Jon Daniels, who was tabbed for the head post of the Texas Rangers in October 2005 at the age of 28 years and 41 days. And the recent promotion of Alex Anthopoulos to GM of the Blue Jays has given the league another 32-year-old in charge.

There's also Arizona's Josh Byrnes, St. Louis' John Mozeliak, San Diego's just-hired Jed Hoyer, Tampa Bay's Andrew Friedman, Pittsburgh's Neal Huntington, the Yankees' Brian Cashman, Kansas City's Dayton Moore, Cleveland's Mark Shapiro, Kenny Williams of the Chicago White Sox, the Angels' Tony Reagins, Colorado's Dan O'Dowd, and Oakland's original "Moneyball" man, Billy Beane. All were hired as GMs at 40 or younger].