Maple Leafs sign Finnish goaltender Christopher Gibson

Per the Internet, which is always a wonderful source… 

A signing like this normally wouldn’t warrant a post, but it’s worth pointing out that in all the hemming and hawing about the Canadian Hockey League’s ban on imported goaltenders, Christopher Gibson was actually the only import taken in the first two rounds of the draft in the last six years.

Gibson had a .920 save percentage in 2011, the year he was taken 49th overall by Los Angeles. His next two years he fell off the map, posting .893 and .902 rates with Chicoutimi. That was good enough for 6th in the QMJHL last season, but not high enough to inspire enough confidence in the Kings, who failed to sign him to a deal.

Actually, the only noteworthy thing about him is that while his name is “Gibson”, he plays for Finland, and is listed as being born in the small Southern Finnish town of Karkkila. The Leafs don’t have a lot of prospect goalies in the system, with Garret Sparks as the only one listed, so I have no problem with the Leafs burning a contract on a goalie who can step in as an AHL backup next season.

As a player born at the tail-end of 1992, however, he is ineligible to return to junior hockey. Welcome to the Maple Leafs, latest product of the Finnish goaltending factory: