Former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka has been suspended by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman until Dec. 31, 2021 "for conduct detrimental to the league and game" according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.

Chayka, 31, resigned as GM and president of hockey operations on July 26 prior to the Coyotes heading to Edmonton to participate in the NHL’s Return to Play. He had three years remaining on his contract.

Dreger reports Monday's ruling is related to the multiple years remaining on Chayka’s contract with Arizona and his attempts to terminate the contract. 

On Aug. 26, the NHL stripped the Coyotes of their 2020 second-round pick and 2021 first-round pick for violating the scouting combine policy of conducting physical testing of draft-eligible players. Chayka was the GM when the NHL launched their investigation in January 2020.

The Coyotes missed the playoffs under Chayka three years in a row until making it to the NHL’s playoff qualifying round last season, where they defeated the Nashville Predators in a best-of-five series. Arizona was then eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Colorado Avalanche.

He became the youngest general manager in NHL history when he was hired at age 26 on May 5, 2016.

Chayka was named president of hockey operations on July 12, 2017, and had signed a long-term contract with the Coyotes on Nov. 11, 2019.