The clamouring for the Edmonton Oilers to improve their goaltending continues to get louder as we approach the March 7 trade deadline. Stuart Skinner’s recent performances against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche have made the cries even louder.
One name that is gaining attention is John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks. To better understand him, what it might take for the Oilers to facilitate a trade, and the situation in Anaheim, I contacted Derek Lee, who covers the Anaheim Ducks for The Hockey News, to answer a few questions.
A portion of the Oilers fanbase is high on John Gibson and thinks he could solidify the crease. What should Oilers fans know about him, and how good has he been for the Ducks this season?
“Gibson is a goalie that uses his athleticism to his advantage, always capable of highlight-reel saves. He manages the game well, whether it’s freezing the puck for a stoppage during a high pressure situation or keeping the play going by moving the puck to a teammate immediately after a save.
His numbers over the past several season haven’t been great. Part of that is due to the quality of team in front of him and a continuous heavy workload. This season, he’s displayed much better numbers while working in a tandem with Lukáš Dostál, who has also played well. The duo have been the Ducks’ best players this season by far. Both of them are top-10 in goals saved above expected despite the Ducks’ affinity for spending so much time in the defensive zone.”
What would a return look like in your eyes? That’s something we’re curious about at Oilersnation and among the fanbase. Let’s say it’s a trade that requires 50% of his $6,400,000 cap hit to be retained. What do you think the Ducks would want in return?
“As I just mentioned, the goaltending tandem has been terrific this season, so I don’t think general manager Pat Verbeek is any hurry to move Gibson. Per insiders like Elliotte Friedman, Verbeek has set a high price for Gibson, and rightfully so. He’s produced good numbers this season and he has term. With the rising cap next season and beyond, there won’t (and shouldn’t be) a willingness to retain on Gibson’s $6.4 million salary either if he keeps performing the way he has.
Because the Ducks don’t have any goaltenders close to NHL ready in their system behind Gibson and Dostál, a goaltender would need to come back in a hypothetical deal. I’m not sure how open the Oilers would be to moving Skinner, but getting Calvin Pickard back as part of the return makes for a suitable backup for Dostál, who is currently pegged to be the long-term solution in goal.
Aside from that, I’m not really sure what else the Ducks would be looking for. They’re at the point in their rebuild where an emphasis on acquiring picks for assets isn’t necessary anymore.”
Viktor Arvidsson hasn’t panned out perfectly in Edmonton. Could the Ducks look to add a forward along with Pickard to help make the money work?
“I don’t think so. The way the Ducks are positioned, most of their forwards should be here for the long haul sans someone like Robby Fabbri, who’s a pending UFA. But he’s also making $4 mil which I don’t think bodes well with the Oilers’ cap situation.”
One worry some have about Gibson is that if the Oilers were to acquire him, he might not age well. He is 31, has three years left on his deal, and has a history of injuries. I know we can’t look into the future, but should that be a concern with him?
“I don’t think so. It’s not as severe as someone like Freddie Andersen, for example. Some of that, again, I feel, is due to the tremendous workload he’s had over the past several seasons. Playing behind a much better team defensively should help limit some of those nagging injuries he picks up from time to time.”
To conclude, I’d like to know where the Ducks are in their rebuilding process and how you anticipate them approaching the trade deadline.
“Well, they’re certainly in the building phase right now and should be working towards getting into the playoffs. A lot would have to go right (out of their control) for them to make it in this season, but they have been getting results lately. A lot of that, though, is due to the goaltending. They need to improve offensively still in terms of creating more chances and such.
I don’t think there’s much they can do at the deadline aside from maybe a Gibson deal and what the plan with pending UFA Brian Dumoulin is.
Dumoulin has been a welcome addition as a veteran presence and a steady player on the backend, but a spot needs to opened up eventually for more of the Ducks’ young defensemen to get regular playing time.”
I want to thank Derek for his insight and significant information about John Gibson and the Anaheim Ducks. You can find him on X, read more of his work on The Hockey News, and read any of his analyses about the Ducks.
Goaltending is always a conversation amongst Oilers fans, and it feels like now more than ever, with the team in it’s Stanley Cup window. While Calvin Pickard has been a fine backup, there’s no doubt that someone like Gibson would provide an extra layer of insurance. Hockey Analyst for the NHL Network, Mike Kelly believes Gibson would be a great fit for the Oilers.
While a duo of Skinner and Gibson sounds great on paper, Elliotte Friedman mentioned on 32 Thoughts The Podcast that he heard Gibson wants a situation where he is the starter, the number one between the pipes. Friedman added that he doesn’t know if a tandem with Stuart Skinner would work with Gibson.
Maybe Gibson will be more open to challenging Skinner for the starter spot as we approach the deadline. A lot can change between now and then. Stuart Skinner may also benefit from having an intense battle for the Oilers crease. It’s something he hasn’t had since he and Jack Campbell shared the net during the 2022-23 season.
And if you’re concerned about Gibson’s age, keep in mind that the Oilers traded for 36-year-old Dwayne Roloson in 2006 and that the Stanley Cup was recently won by 35-year-old Sergei Bobrovsky last June. Apologies for the reminder.