The Toronto Maple Leafs are, by far, the NHL team with the most rumours about their players.
To be honest, it's one of the most fun things about being a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.
Even though trades in the NHL are extremely rare, trade rumours are a source of great entertainment and endless discussion. They don't even have to be plausible for them to be fun.
But the latest Toronto Maple Leafs rumour is pretty dubious. I don't even believe it a little bit, and far be it for me to say it's completely made up, but it just doesn't seem realistic.
Toronto Maple Leafs: I Don't Believe Latest Nylander Rumour At All
The rumour in question is a two-parter and comes from hockeybuzz.com, a website exclusively about hockey rumours.
According to this rumour, the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in trading for goalie John Gibson of the Anaheim Might Ducks. As stupid as that would be, I actually do believe that because Leafs GM Brad Treliving has shown a great propensity for acquiring name brand players.
He signed Max Domi despite there being any number of "player cards" available to the average fan that analyze his statistical profile and show him to be a replacement player (or worse). He did the same thing with Ryan Reaves and John Klingberg and David Kampf.
Earlier this year, the Leafs were linked to Rasmus Ristolainen, one of the worst players in the NHL. Before Treliving, you always knew there was no chance the analytically inclined Maple Leafs would be interested in such a player.
Now? Who knows?
So even though he's the next worst thing to Martin Jones, and even though he's got a brutal contract no sane team would want, the Leafs may actually be interested in John Gibson. I just don't know.
But it's the second part of the rumour that I know can't be true.
Though I have no sources to confirm this, I highly doubt, nee, I guarantee, that the Toronto Maple Leafs have not given the Anaheim Mighty Ducks permission to talk contract with William Nylander.
If that was the case, there is no way it could be kept this quiet. The Leafs - should they decide they need to trade Nylander - might actually be smart to let teams negotiate with Nylander. But in a quest for a dud like John Gibson?
No chance.
Now, if the Ducks want to send the Leafs Trevor Zegras, while eating 50% of Gibson's contrat, maybe a discussion could be had. But as of right now, I just don't believe it. The Leafs are almost certainly going to re-sign Nylander, and if they were going to trade him, it sure wouldn't be for John Gibson.
The article also says it's "widely known that Nylander wants to play in southern California" and I just want to say I cover this team every day and have followed Nylander for years and I've never heard anyone say that. Let alone consider that it's "widely known."
Bottom line: If John Gibson was avaiable in trade, he wouldn't bring in much, if anything. Everyone knows goalies are nearly random and they don't have any trade value at the best of times.