Coyotes GM Chayka: 'Defense isn't about defending'

The Arizona Coyotes shocked many by hiring 27-year-old John Chayka - the youngest in NHL history - as the team's new general manager in May.

But they did so with a refreshed approach, handing the keys to a rebuilding team to a young mind with an emphasis on analytics.

Since Chayka took over, Arizona drafted defenseman Jakob Chychrun 16th overall and also signed blueliners Alex Goligoski and Luke Schenn, revamping a defensive corps with players Chayka believes fit within his model of success.

In a sit down with NHL.com's Dan Rosen, Chayka stated defensive play is about transition, rather than man-on-man defending.

"The philosophy is fairly simple. It's when we don't have the puck, recover the puck as quickly as possible," Chayka said. "There are all kinds of different forms where you can gain possession of the puck, some of them are physical, and some of them are non-physical, so I think you need a blend to have both.

"Once you get the puck back, it's to transition the puck. Defense isn't about defending, it's about getting the puck in the forwards' hands and getting the puck moving in the offensive zone. It's about transitioning. That's the philosophy and that's been the theme behind the moves that we're making, let's get players who can get pucks back and get pucks up to forwards in an efficient and effective manner."

The Coyotes boast one of the top - if not the best - prospect pools in the NHL, and while the future is promising, improving defensive play is a must, as the Coyotes ranked 28th league-wide last year in goals against per game, allowing 2.98.