After the success the Devils had last season, they have had a great offseason and have made moves to help them going into next season and beyond. They locked up key pieces in Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier, while also adding Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames in a trade. The one question now is, do the Devils have the goaltending to take them farther in the playoffs? Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid both had good regular seasons last year, but struggled in the playoffs. Fans are wondering if the Devils should make a trade for a goalie and one name on the market is John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks. It has been rumored for a while that he wants out of Anaheim and now seems like the perfect time for the Devils to make a move.
Gibson’s Recent Play
It is not a shocker that Gibson’s numbers have gotten worse since the Ducks entered into their rebuild. When he was starting for the Ducks when they were contending, his numbers were very good. In the last season in which the team made the playoffs, 2017-18, he had a 2.43 goals-against average (GAA) and a .926 save percentage (SV%). From the 2015-16 season to the 2017-18 season, he had a SV% over .920 and a GAA under 2.50. He helped carry the Ducks for a few seasons, and when they got bad so did his play.
Since 2018-19, both of Gibson’s SV% and GAA have been getting worse. This past season was the worst so far, with a 3.99 GAA and a .899 SV%. These numbers can be attributed to the Ducks being a bottom two team in the league this past season. The team has been almost as bad as possible for the past few seasons, and this reflects poorly on Gibson. He has shown that he can be a good goalie when the team in front of him is good, and the Devils are certainly a better defensive team than the Ducks. His numbers would get better if he was playing with a different organization.
He’s Locked Up Long-Term
Another goalie that has been linked to the Devils is Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. While he is the better goalie than Gibson, the problem is he would need an extension, and many reports suggest he wants in the neighborhood of $9.5 million on an eight-year deal. Do the Devils really want to give up assets and then sign him to a deal that would make him the highest-paid Devil? Not likely, but with Gibson, they wouldn’t need to worry about that. He is still signed for four more seasons and is making $6.4 million average annual value. This means the Devils would have their starting goalie locked up long-term and he is on a reasonable deal if he can get back to putting up the numbers he did when he was on a good Ducks team.
Related: Devils Should Stay Away From Hellebuyck
If they Devils were to acquire Gibson, they would not have to worry about the goalie position until four years from now. At that point, who knows what the team’s goalie situation could look like. Maybe Schmid or Nico Daws have developed properly and have turned into NHL goalies who can be relied on as a starter. Then the Devils could move on from Gibson and not have to worry about having a player like Hellebuyck, who would still be on the team because they decided to give him the eight-year contract. Gibson’s current deal is one the fits the organization’s current window perfectly.
What Would the Devils Trade?
If the Devils were to make this deal for Gibson, the first asset that would have to go back is Vanecek. He is still signed for two more seasons and the Ducks would need to take money back as they are currently under the salary cap floor. Vanecek could provide them decent goaltending and if they still want to bottom out and get a top draft pick, fans have seen that Vanecek has times where he plays very poorly. That could help the Ducks if they still want to be a rebuilding team. They could also trade him in the future for other assets that will help them down the line. Either way, he would be the main piece heading back to the Ducks in a potential deal for Gibson.
The Devils would also have to give up some picks and prospects in the deal and they are able to do that. They have spent years drafting players and acquiring picks; now is the time where they move those pieces to get better. The Devils have their 2024 first-round pick and first- and second-round picks in 2025 and 2026. Some prospects they could trade are Nolan Foote and Chase Stillman. While both of these players could have high upsides, the Devils want to win now and the Ducks would be interested in players like those two who can help them down the line. They need to give up assets if they want to acquire the big piece.
Is Gibson The Answer In Net?
The Devils do have questions in net going into next season. Can they rely on Vanecek to do what he did last season and can Schmid step in again if he falters? Maybe, but the Devils don’t want their goaltending to be their weak spot once more. If they make a trade for Gibson, it would be an upgrade over what they currently have. Does his recent dip in play make the Devils hesitant to trade for him, or do they think he will improve if he is playing behind a better defensive team? Either way, the Devils need an answer in net and Gibson could be their solution.
