Helping the Toronto Maple Leafs Avoid an Ohtani Situation

There are plenty of rumours that circulate the internet about the Toronto Maple Leafs every day. Some are grounded in truth, while others are complete fabrications. It can sometimes be difficult to tell which ones are accurate. For example, there was the popular belief that John Tavares is actually a robot.

Recently, the Toronto Blue Jays fans (presumably, many of them also Toronto Maple Leafs fans) were dealt a huge blow due to false rumours.

Shohei Ohtani was supposed to be signing in Toronto, according to published reports and Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to be suggested as a upcoming Toronto Raptors acquisition.

Reports about Ohtani coming to the Blue Jays were posted on Sports Illustrated, and echoed by the MLB network, so they not only seemed plausible, they seemed real.

The following is a curation of Toronto Maple Leafs rumors that  were luckily snuffed out before going to press.  It's a good thing too, because it still hurts to see Ohtani in a Dodgers uniform.

So if you do here any of these, know that they are fake:

The Uncirculated Toronto Maple Leafs Rumors

Auston Matthews

In the offseason prior to the 2019-20 season, it was rumored that Auston Matthews paid journalists to discard photos of him. That's because he had made the unfortunate decision to get an upper lip tattoo of eight different Care Bears. Filled with immediate regret and recognizing that he'll be on television regularly once the season began, Matthews did the only thing he could to hide his love for Cheer Bear. He grew what has now become an iconic mustache to cover it up.

Deal with the Devil

This controversial rumor has been floating around the NHL for years. It's believed that the Maple Leafs made a deal years ago with the devil when the franchise was one of the worst teams in the NHL. It guarantees them a roster good enough to win the Stanley Cup each year. The cost was steep. In return, the rumor is that they will never win the Cup again.

Sheldon Keefe's Secret Strategy

Some believe that there are folks among us with otherworldly powers. Psychics have been employed to predict the future. We've even seen one make predictions about the Maple Leafs this season. There is a rumor that Sheldon Keefe keeps a clairvoyant on payroll to tell him about upcoming opponent matchups and strategies. This insider information allows to Keefe to gameplan accordingly, giving the Buds the edge in every contest. The best part for the Leafs is that there are no rules against psychics in the NHL.

Carlton the Bear

While this may be far-fetched, there is a specific rumor that has made the rounds about Toronto's mascot, Carlton the Bear. Whether he's loved by kids attending home games or despised by joyless fans, Carlton the Bear's integrity has been questioned. Recently, it was suggested that Carlton wasn't even a bear at all. Some have said that he's actually a human in a bear suit. Whether true or not, the one thing we all know is that it's about time Carlton puts on some pants. Have some shame, bear.

Max Lajoie's Spaghetti

There aren't many Max Lajoie jerseys being sold at Scotiabank Arena. That's because the Leafs defenseman hasn't been a regular member of the team's roster and not very well known by fans, especially the casual ones. According to NHL stats, last season, he played three games for the Carolina Hurricanes and five the year prior. In 2019-20, he hit the ice for six contests for the Ottawa Senators. That isn't a lot of work.

The rumour being spread about Lajoie is that he has been cooking dinner for the entire team prior to each of his appearances. It's believed that the idea behind the act is that he's hoping to be used more often and is willing to put on an apron pregame to make it happen. The problem, unfortunately, is that Lajoie has been under-seasoning his dishes and turning everyone off his food. That is, with the exception if Guy Boucher, since the assistant coach prefers his meals to be bland.

Let's not forget that a rumor is just that, a rumour. There's a good chance that the Leafs dressing room isn't being haunted by a former Leafs legend, Gordie Drillon. However, a good rumour does elicit good chatter and buzz around the team. That's why we'll stay on top of every whisper and podcast focused on the Maple Leafs.