The Detroit Red Wings are set to acquire goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Friedman later added that the return will be goaltender Petr Mrazek and two draft picks. The deal was first reported by NHL.com’s Kevin Weekes. There will be no salary retention, and the acquired draft picks are not part of the 2025 draft, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
The Red Wings have confirmed the trade. They will send a 2027 second-round pick and 2026 fourth-round pick to Anaheim alongside Mrazek.
This move stands as a monumental day for the Ducks franchise. Gibson was a cornerstone piece of their club for much of the 2010’s, and earned the lion’s share of starts from the 2016-17 season through the 2023-24 campaign. He set the record for most games played by a Ducks goaltender early into the latter season, taking it away from Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Gibson also ranks second in all-time wins in Ducks history, with 204 – just two behind Giguere’s record.
Gibson was once among the league’s most consistent, and dominant, goalies. He broke into the league as a red-hot rookie, setting a .920 save percentage through 40 games of his rookie season – enough to rank seventh in both Calder Trophy and Vezina Trophy voting. Gibson also took home the William Jennings Trophy with goalie partner Frederik Andersen that season. He went on to post a save percentage north of .915 in each of his first four full years in the NHL – including a career-high .926 through 60 games of the 2017-18 campaign. He also had a statement performance during Anaheim’s run to the 2017 Western Conference Finals, posting a .918 through 16 games.
Gibson continued to play north of 50 games each season through the 2019-20 campaign. In the first six years of his career, he combined for a .918 save percentage and 139-103-33 record through 287 games. But he couldn’t hold onto his consistency through a new decade, and began to slip nearly right as the 2020s rolled around. Gibson posted a .903 in 35 games of the shortened 2020-21 season, and has since recorded three more seasons with a save percentage below .905.
He seemed fully lost at sea last season, when a .888 save percentage through 46 games ultimately resulted in him losing the Ducks’ starting job to up-and-coming prospect Lukas Dostal. Gibson fell firmly into the backup role, and maintained that standing through this season.
But less responsibility may have been the right call for the now-31-year-old Gibson. He surged back to good effect this season, posting a 11-11-2 record and .911 save percentage through 29 games. He shined as a flashy compliment when Dostal was struggling, and gave Anaheim back the consistency in their net that they’ve long been known for.
It’s with that momentum that Gibson will enter the Red Wings’ system. He’s entering a true crowd, with both Cam Talbot and top prospect Sebastian Cossa signed through next season. The Red Wings also have Alex Lyon and Jack Campbell headed for unrestricted free agency. Gibson will step in as the goaltender with the priciest salary and longest term of the bunch – set to carry a $6.4MM cap hit through the next two seasons, while both Talbot and Cossa will need new deals next year. That fact could earn Gibson a starting role headed into the 2025-26 season, though it seems much more reasonable to bet on him being the consistent veteran manning the backup role while Cossa continues to climb into the NHL.
On the flip side, Anaheim will receive veteran Mrazek to fill their vacant backup role. Mrazek was the Chicago Blackhawks’ starter at the onset of the season – a role he’s filled since 2022. He wasn’t much sharp in Chicago, posting a 38-72-9 record and .899 save percentage through 128 games played. To his credit, though, he faced an absolute barrage of shots – averaging 31 shots against each game. Mrazek was dealt to the Red Wings at the Trade Deadline, and stood up to a reduced role much better – with a 2-2-0 record and .902 save percentage in five games. He’s a veteran of 13 NHL seasons and 428 games. In that span, he’s recorded a 180-176-40 record and .906 save percentage. Mrazek seems well beyond his golden days, but should still offer fine play situated behind starter Dostal.
Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports.