Despite the Detroit Red Wings having considerable goaltending depth, they should still consider trading for John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks.
Gibson remains a highly skilled goalie and would immediately become Detroit’s primary netminder if acquired. This is a rare situation where the long-term value of a veteran player might surpass his current worth, and the Red Wings should act quickly before another team seizes the opportunity. Here’s why.
Gibson Would Provide Red Wings With Stability in Net
Gibson is under contract until 2027, offering the Red Wings a level of stability they haven’t seen since Jimmy Howard. Over the past five years, Gibson has started 63.8 percent of Anaheim’s games, averaging about 52 starts per season. This workload was initially planned for Ville Husso in 2023-24, but injuries disrupted those plans.
Adding Gibson would allow for an optimal distribution of starts, giving around 30 games to Cam Talbot, an ideal number for the veteran goaltender. This also sets up a reasonable transition for Sebastian Cossa when he potentially joins the Red Wings full-time in 2025-26.
Performance-wise, Gibson’s recent stats in save percentage, goals-against average, and goals-saved above expected might raise concerns. However, goalie stats heavily depend on team performance, and Gibson faced a high number of high-danger chances against (HDCA) in 2023-24, ranking third-most in the NHL. His save percentage on these chances was .820, comparable to Juuse Saros and slightly better than Sergei Bobrovsky, ranking him 26th among 71 qualifying goalies for high-danger save percentage.
Gibson’s talent is evident, and with a stronger defense in front of him, his performance could significantly improve.
Gibson Could Mentor Red Wings’ Cossa
Gibson entered the league in 2014 as a top prospect for the Ducks, starting playoff games at age 20 over veteran Jonas Hiller and fellow rookie Frederik Anderson. His early success allowed Anaheim to move on from both Hiller and Anderson, solidifying Gibson as their franchise goalie by age 23.
Now 31, Gibson has been mentoring top prospect Lukas Dostal for the past two years. His experience as a former “goalie-of-the-future” makes him an ideal mentor for Sebastian Cossa. Gibson understands the pressures of being a high draft pick and can guide Cossa through his transition to the NHL, potentially overlapping in Detroit for at least two years.
In summary, acquiring John Gibson would provide the Red Wings with much-needed stability in net and an experienced mentor for their top goaltending prospect.
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