The Detroit Red Wings traded Jake Walman to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday in a surprising move. This trade has sparked a lot of speculation about what general manager Steve Yzerman will do next. According to new reports, their next move may be for a goaltender. After missing out on Linus Ullmark, Detroit is now looking into Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson.
The Ducks are reportedly actively trying to move Gibson, according to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta. Pagnotta notes that Detroit is one of the teams currently engaged in these discussions. Gibson does have a 10-team no-trade clause, giving him some control over his future.
Trade rumors around John Gibson are nothing new. The veteran Ducks goalie has had success in the NHL, but has seen a decline in his play over the last few seasons. He has not recorded a save percentage better than .900 over the last two seasons. Furthermore, his highest save percentage since 2018-19 is .904.
How John Gibson fits Red Wings
The Red Wings could certainly use an upgrade between the pipes. Detroit has the fourth-lowest goal differential in the NHL since 2019-20. Additionally, they have the fourth-lowest on-ice save percentage during that time. In 2023-24, the Red Wings allowed the eighth-most goals per game and barely finished the season with a team save percentage north of .900.
It certainly makes sense why the Winged Wheel would seek an upgrade. And one can argue that Gibson's decline in play is due to the team in front of him. Anaheim has finished near the bottom of the league in five of the last six seasons. This past season did see the veteran puck-stopper record a brutal -17.92 goals saved above average. However, he recorded a positive 1.02 goals saved above expected in 2023-24.
The goals saved above expected mark is very marginally better than what Detroit had from its starter. Alex Lyon became the team's primary starter midway through the season, and he finished with a 1.01 goals saved above expected. With Detroit set to lose James Reimer this summer through free agency, adding another goalie could certainly be beneficial.
Detroit does have defensive issues, though, which is a concern. That said, if they believe Gibson can be the answer for them, then the acquisition cost may be somewhat tame compared to the rest of the goalie market. Yzerman mentioned wanting to avoid moving premium assets for a goalie, so the interest makes sense in that context.
Why Ducks benefit from moving Gibson
The Ducks are going through a rebuild, so having a veteran goalie can have some benefits. That said, Gibson brings a high cap hit with him. Under his current contract, the veteran puck-stopper carries a cap hit of $6.4 million through the end of the 2026-27 season.
Anaheim is also looking to give their goalie of the future more game time. Lukas Dostal made the NHL last season and played fairly well. He recorded a .902 save percentage in 44 games. Additionally, he had -1.05 goals saved above average and 2.79 goals saved above expected, according to Evolving Hockey.
John Gibson has played well for the Ducks, but it is simply time for both sides to move on. Gibson is in the back end of his career and likely wants to win. The Red Wings missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs by one point, so they could give him a chance to play winning hockey. Anaheim, meanwhile, is looking to take the next step in developing their goalie of the future. It'll certainly be interesting to see how this all unfolds between now and the 2024 NHL Draft.
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