The Toronto Maple Leafs need a goalie, but it doesn’t sound like John Gibson will be their guy.
On Sunday, Sportsnet radio host and former NHL forward Nick Kypreos tweeted a quote he attributed to Kurt Overhardt — a veteran NHL player agent whose clients include Jaccob Slavin, Nick Schmaltz, and Gibson — about what the future might hold for the Anaheim Ducks’ starting goaltender.
“John Gibson has absolutely no interest in playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Overhardt said. “He is committed to the Anaheim Ducks.”
Gibson, 28, posted an 18–26–11 record and a .904 save percentage in 56 games with the Ducks in 2021–22. He has recorded a save percentage below .905 in each of his last three seasons.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound goaltender has five years remaining on his contract, which carries an annual cap hit of $6.4M. Gibson’s deal includes a modified no-trade clause which allows him to submit a list of 10 teams to which he would not accept a trade.
Shortly before Kypreos posted his tweet on Sunday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators have engaged in “intensified discussions” about a trade involving goaltender Matt Murray.
Murray, 28, won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017 before being traded to Ottawa in 2020. The 6-foot-4, 202-pound goaltender has struggled to remain healthy over the last two seasons and was reportedly almost traded to the Buffalo Sabres on the day of the 2022 NHL Draft.
The Maple Leafs currently only have two goaltenders signed for the 2022–23 season: Erik Källgren and Joseph Woll, who have combined for 18 career NHL appearances. Jack Campbell, the Maple Leafs’ 2021–22 starter, is a pending unrestricted free agent.
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