The Detroit Purple Wings are set to accumulate goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Geese, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Friedman later added that the return might be goaltender Petr Mrazek and two draft picks. The deal was first reported by NHL.com’s Kevin Weekes. There might be no wage retention, and the acquired draft picks should not a part of the 2025 draft, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
The Purple Wings have confirmed the commerce. They are going to ship a 2027 second-round choose and a 2026 fourth-round choose to Anaheim alongside Mrazek.
This transfer stands as a monumental day for the Geese franchise. Gibson was a cornerstone piece of their membership for a lot of the 2010s and earned the lion’s share of begins from the 2016-17 season by way of the 2023-24 marketing campaign. He set the report for many video games performed by a Geese goaltender early within the latter season, taking it away from Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Gibson additionally ranks second in all-time wins in Geese historical past, with 204, simply two behind Giguere’s report.
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 publish a save proportion north of .915 in every of his first 4 full years within the NHL — together with a career-high .926 by way of 60 video games of the 2017-18 marketing campaign. He additionally had a press release efficiency throughout Anaheim’s run to the 2017 Western Convention Finals, posting a .918 by way of 16 video games.
Gibson continued to play north of fifty video games every season by way of the 2019-20 marketing campaign. Within the first six years of his profession, he mixed for a .918 save proportion and 139-103-33 report by way of 287 video games. However he couldn’t maintain onto his consistency by way of a brand new decade, and started to slide practically proper because the 2020s rolled round. Gibson posted a .903 in 35 video games of the shortened 2020-21 season, and has since recorded three extra seasons with a save proportion under .905.
He appeared absolutely misplaced at sea final season, when a .888 save proportion by way of 46 video games in the end resulted in him shedding the Geese’ beginning job to up-and-coming prospect Lukas Dostal. Gibson fell firmly into the backup position, and maintained that standing by way of this season.
However much less duty could have been the best name for the now-31-year-old Gibson. He surged again to good impact this season, posting a 11-11-2 report and .911 save proportion by way of 29 video games. He shined as a flashy praise when Dostal was struggling, and gave Anaheim again the consistency of their web that they’ve lengthy been recognized for.
It’s with that momentum that Gibson will enter the Purple Wings’ system. He’s getting into a real crowd, with each Cam Talbot and prime prospect Sebastian Cossa signed by way of subsequent season. The Purple Wings even have Alex Lyon and Jack Campbell headed for unrestricted free company. Gibson will step in because the goaltender with the priciest wage and longest time period of the bunch — set to hold a $6.4M cap hit by way of the following two seasons, whereas each Talbot and Cossa will want new offers subsequent yr. That truth might earn Gibson a beginning position headed into the 2025-26 season, although it appears far more affordable to wager on him being the constant veteran manning the backup position whereas Cossa continues to climb into the NHL.
On the flip aspect, Anaheim will obtain veteran Mrazek to fill their vacant backup position. Mrazek was the Chicago Blackhawks’ starter on the onset of the season — a task he’s stuffed since 2022. He wasn’t a lot sharp in Chicago, posting a 38-72-9 report and .899 save proportion by way of 128 video games performed. To his credit score, although, he confronted an absolute barrage of pictures — averaging 31 pictures towards every recreation. Mrazek was dealt to the Purple Wings on the Commerce Deadline, and stood as much as a decreased position a lot better — with a 2-2-0 report and .902 save proportion in 5 video games. He’s a veteran of 13 NHL seasons and 428 video games. In that span, he’s recorded a 180-176-40 report and .906 save proportion. Mrazek appears nicely past his golden days, however ought to nonetheless provide wonderful play located behind starter Dostal.
