The swirling John Chayka and Mike Gillis confusion perfectly masks a brilliant Maple Leafs smokescreen

While the fanbase looks to decipher who will actually take over the vacant general manager position, the real story is the smokescreen being deployed by the lead brass.

Insider chatter over the last week has thrown multiple completely different names into the spotlight, proving that the organization may be actively feeding conflicting information to the media.

The latest report came directly from Nick Kypreos, who noted that heavy frontrunner Mike Gillis suddenly looks to be out of the picture, while former Coyotes executive John Chayka has quietly gained heavy traction.

This is not a front office losing control of their leaks. This is a completely locked down boardroom intentionally turning the media landscape into pure chaos to hide their actual target.

It's starting to look as if, perhaps, none of the insiders and analysts actually know who the next Toronto Maple Leafs general manager is going to be.

Recent reporting gave three names as likely finalists for the Leafs, none of them being Chayka or Gillis. Suddenly, Kypreos indicates he thinks it could be Gillis. It's evidently become noise the longer the candidacy process goes on.

Having interviewed Gillis four times already, there seems to be smoke that there is a serious look for Gillis and Toronto, but is a clear push him to take the role as team President rather than GM as Gillis wishes.

One theory that is beginning to take form is that some of these leaks are intentional, and perhaps a purposeful leak to the media.

Why that is, that could be for numerous reasons, but there's little doubt that multiple sources are relaying information from different angles, and it's hard to know which sources are in the know, and which ones are merely speculative.

A recent report earlier today from Jimmy Murphy, who covers the Bruins, cited a Boston source who believed that Bruins AGM Evan Gold was a frontrunner for the Leafs job. While that may be true, a Rangers source may say the same for another Leafs candidate in New York AGM Ryan Martin.

The Leafs themselves adding to the uncertainty to see what the fanbase feels about each rumor. One could speculate that, but the truth is that MLSE likely doesn't want details of their highly secretive talks to get out, even if they'll take any potential discourse for note.

While the media is completely frustrated by the swirling rumors, some see the Toronto boardroom as doing an absolute 5D chess move by the new brass.

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