HIGHLIGHTS
- Anaheim traded John Gibson to Detroit for Petr Mrazek and two draft picks
- Gibson spent his entire 12-year career with the Ducks organization
- Read below for trade details and what this means for both teams
The John Gibson era in Anaheim is officially over.
After years of trade rumors, the Ducks finally pulled the trigger on a deal Saturday, shipping their longtime netminder to the Detroit Red Wings. Coming back to Anaheim? Veteran goalie Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-rounder.
Gibson leaves as the Ducks’ all-time leader in starts and saves. The 31-year-old backstop posted a solid .912 save percentage in 29 games this past season, bouncing back from some rough years.
“We want to thank John for his time with our organization and being an integral part of the Ducks for more than a decade,” Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said. “It became clear John wanted a new opportunity, and after many discussions with him, we felt now was the right time to make this move.”
There’s no salary retention on Gibson’s $6.4 million cap hit, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. That’s huge for Detroit, who gets a proven starter without handcuffing their cap.
The timing makes sense for Anaheim. Lukas Dostal emerged as their number one this season, ranking ninth among all goalies in goals saved above expected. The 25-year-old is ready to carry the load.
For Detroit? This is their big swing to end the playoff drought. Gibson’s got two years left on his deal and brings a track record the Red Wings haven’t had between the pipes in years.
Remember, this guy won the William Jennings Trophy back in 2015-16. He’s dealt with injuries lately, but when healthy, Gibson can steal games.
Mrazek heads back to the organization that drafted him in 2010. The 33-year-old struggled last season with a .891 save percentage split between Chicago and Detroit. He’ll back up Dostal on a one-year deal worth $4.25 million.
The Ducks likely aren’t done there either. They’ve already moved Trevor Zegras to Philadelphia and cleared over $20 million in cap space heading into free agency Monday.
Gibson never got to play meaningful hockey in Anaheim’s rebuild. Now he gets a shot with a Red Wings team desperate to get back to the playoffs.
We can’t blame either side here. Gibson wanted out, Anaheim needed to move on, and Detroit desperately needed an upgrade in net. This is one of those trades that could end up benefitting both teams.
