Thoughts on the Leafs hiring John Chayka (GM) and Mats Sundin (senior executive adviser)

[JP51]

On 5/4/2026 at 7:00 PM, thewookie1 said:

If he’s a dude in the office I don’t really see the issue. Doan is already signed long term so it’s not a concern in that regard and I doubt we have any plans to trade him either.

I am with you here... If he helps the FO sign him... but that is really not on the table at this point... but from a "would you" standpoint... yeah I would not care if his kid is on the team... especially a great producer, who is clearly one of the long term solutions and is signed to an LT contract... yeah wouldnt bug me... 

[Doohickie]

On 5/4/2026 at 12:15 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:

Any room for Shane in the Sabres front office?

Not while Josh is a Sabre.  I don't want even the appearance of a conflict of interest.  I kind of think that may be why Josh wasn't as successful before he was a Sabre; no one wanted it to look like he was getting extra opportunity because he was Shane's son.  I just don't want Shane's presence to tilt Josh's trajectory for good or bad.

[Doohickie]

20 hours ago, Second Line Center said:

 

He doesn't have neck issues, does he (yet)?

[French Collection]

10 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

He doesn't have neck issues, does he (yet)?

I think he stepped on his bottom lip.

[GASabresIUFAN]

48 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Not while Josh is a Sabre.  I don't want even the appearance of a conflict of interest.  I kind of think that may be why Josh wasn't as successful before he was a Sabre; no one wanted it to look like he was getting extra opportunity because he was Shane's son.  I just don't want Shane's presence to tilt Josh's trajectory for good or bad.

I don’t understand this take at all.  What conflict of interest? I think nepotism is that term you are looking for and hiring Shane wouldn’t be that either. Josh is now an established NHL forward with a longterm contract.  Hiring his dad doesn’t change that and won’t affect his play at all.  He has said that he talks with his dad daily anyway.  

The Sabres wouldn’t be hiring Shane because Josh is on the team. We need to teach the entire organization to play like Josh does and Shane did.  Who better to teach it than Shane Doan? 

[Doohickie]

11 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Hiring his dad doesn’t change that and won’t affect his play at all.  He has said that he talks with his dad daily anyway.  

There in lies the conflict of interest.

Also, when you say 

Quote

We need to teach the entire organization to play like Josh does and Shane did.  Who better to teach it than Shane Doan?

Are you expecting Shane to become an on-ice coach?  Or a front office guy?  Teaching players how to play is not a function of the front office.

Edited May 6 by Doohickie

[GASabresIUFAN]

13 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

There in lies the conflict of interest.

Also, when you say 

Are you expecting Shane to become an on-ice coach?  Or a front office guy?  Teaching players how to play is not a function of the front office.

Maybe he becomes a director of development.

PA it’s now a conflict of interest to talk to your son, that’s laughable.

[Pimlach]

On 5/5/2026 at 7:30 AM, Archie Lee said:

Love Dave Hodge. I have a work colleague who mimics the Dave Hodge pencil flip when there’s something goofy going on at work. 
 

Re: Steve Simmons’s question relating to the 20 NHL people he spoke to; while the general sentiment was accurate, Simmons couldn’t get 20 credible NHL people to take his call. He is not that well regarded. 

Dave had a brief career with Sabres in their first season, he was play by play on radio when Ted Darling did the TV games back in 1970-71.  

Some guy named Rick Jeanneret replaced him the next season.   

[Archie Lee]

21 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Dave had a brief career with Sabres in their first season, he was play by play on radio when Ted Darling did the TV games back in 1970-71.  

Some guy named Rick Jeanneret replaced him the next season.   

I don’t know that about Hodge. Thanks!  

[Doohickie]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

PA it’s now a conflict of interest to talk to your son, that’s laughable.

I think the conflict of interest worked to Josh's detriment before the trade.  They were so averse to the appearance of favoritism that they didn't give him the opportunity to play he probably deserved.  I say that based on how he blossomed with the Sabres.  In my perception at least, the dynamic has already played out with the Doans and I wouldn't want to have it happen again, or there be some uncomfortable situation to ensure it doesn't.

I work for a company that takes COI very seriously; we're trained every year.  And it's not just the conflict of interest we're trying to avoid; it's the mere appearance of a conflict that someone outside the company may perceive that they try to prevent.

In all likelihood there would be no issue with both Doans working the same team.  But it's not guaranteed and could become problematic.

Edited May 6 by Doohickie

[PASabreFan]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Dave had a brief career with Sabres in their first season, he was play by play on radio when Ted Darling did the TV games back in 1970-71.  

Some guy named Rick Jeanneret replaced him the next season.   

A Wikipedia page on Sabres broadcasters has it the other way around, citing the team's inaugural media guide. It says Hodge and Rick Azar did seven away games on TV, while Ted was on the radio for all the rest (or all of them, not sure).

[PASabreFan]

In looking at the guide itself, Ted called every game on radio, and nine road games were on the TV schedule.

[PASabreFan]

The next year, Ted called every game. For non TV games, he still did the radio call. But for 15 games on TV, Ted took over for Hodge. And for those 15 games, Rick took over the radio call.

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

A Wikipedia page on Sabres broadcasters has it the other way around, citing the team's inaugural media guide. It says Hodge and Rick Azar did seven away games on TV, while Ted was on the radio for all the rest (or all of them, not sure).

That may be.  I recall seeing Hodge on TV and Rick Azar was around that first season to two.  Dave Hodge was very good IMO. 

When did Pat Hannigan join the broadcast team with Ted?   I met him in the Aud when I was a kid, he was playing for the Bison at the time.  

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

The next year, Ted called every game. For non TV games, he still did the radio call. But for 15 games on TV, Ted took over for Hodge. And for those 15 games, Rick took over the radio call.

We had some great talent in the both back then.  

Edited May 6 by Pimlach

[PASabreFan]

36 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

That may be.  I recall seeing Hodge on TV and Rick Azar was around that first season to two.  Dave Hodge was very good IMO. 

When did Pat Hannigan join the broadcast team with Ted?   I met him in the Aud when I was a kid, he was playing for the Bison at the time.  

We had some great talent in the both back then.  

This Wikipedia page has Pat joining Ted on TV in Year 2. But the media guide has Rick Azar and Dave Hodge with Ted that year.

[Doohickie]

I've been kind of missing the pre and postgame but I just realized they show it on the Sabres YouTube.  Huh.