John Gibson is set to start in goal for the Detroit Red Wings against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, marking his first appearance at Honda Center since being traded from his longtime team. The 32-year-old goalie spent 12 NHL seasons with Anaheim, where he played 506 games and recorded 204 wins. Detroit enters the game with an 8-3-0 record, tied for first in the Atlantic Division.
Gibson, originally drafted by Anaheim in the second round (No. 39) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, built a significant career with the Ducks before the June 28 trade to Detroit. He holds the franchise record for most games by a goalie and ranks second in wins with 204, trailing only Jean-Sebastien Giguere by two. His standout 2015-16 rookie season earned him a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team alongside Connor McDavid and a shared Jennings Trophy with Frederik Andersen for the league's fewest goals allowed.
In 2016-17, Gibson posted a 25-16-9 regular-season record with a 2.22 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and six shutouts, leading Anaheim to the Western Conference Final. He went 9-5-0 in the playoffs with a 2.59 GAA and .918 save percentage. The following year, he recorded 31-18-7 with a 2.43 GAA, .926 save percentage and four shutouts, though the Ducks were swept in the first round.
Over his first six seasons in Anaheim, Gibson had a 119-77-28 record, 2.42 GAA, .921 save percentage and 18 shutouts. His final six seasons there saw 85-140-35, 3.30 GAA, .901 save percentage and six shutouts, coinciding with the team's rebuild. Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot, who faced Gibson in the 2017 playoffs with Edmonton, praised his consistency: "He was a rock back there for them... You never got too much emotion. Whether you scored on him or he got a shutout, he played the same way every single game."
With Detroit, Gibson is 4-2-0 with a 3.20 GAA and .876 save percentage in six starts, including a rough debut where he allowed five goals on 13 shots in a 5-1 loss to Montreal on Oct. 9. Coach Todd McLellan noted, "His numbers don’t look like he’s been playing well, but other than the opening night, he’s been pretty solid." Captain Dylan Larkin anticipates an emotional return: "It’s got to mean a lot to him... I think it’ll be an emotional return as a guy who is pretty cool, calm and collected."
Gibson remains focused: "I’m just in the moment... trying to win hockey games here and help the Detroit Red Wings get in the playoffs." The Ducks (5-3-1) return home after a 3-1-1 road trip, led offensively by Leo Carlsson (four goals, seven assists), Troy Terry (three goals, seven assists) and Cutter Gauthier (six goals, two assists). Goaltender Lukas Dostal has a 2.84 GAA and .906 save percentage in seven starts. McLellan emphasized preparation: "We’ve got to get our energy levels back up and got to be prepared to play a smart game."
The game airs at 10 p.m. ET from Honda Center.