The biggest move that Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman made during the offseason was the acquisition of goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks, swapping Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick.
While Gibson’s numbers in his first several weeks with the club weren’t what he or the Red Wings wanted them to be, he’s been among the game’s elite since the beginning of December.
On Saturday evening, Gibson earned his third shutout in his last 14 games, 12 of which have been victories.
Over his last 14 starts, Gibson has posted a 2.01 goals-against average along with a .932 save percentage, as well as the aforementioned three shutouts.
If Gibson were to accumulate a workload of 55 games, that’s a pace of 47 victories and 12 shutouts, which would easily be a top contender for the Vezina Trophy.
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Red Wings team captain Dylan Larkin, who scored as part of Detroit’s 4-0 win in Montreal, noted that the entire club has confidence in the veteran goaltender.
“His record and demeanor speak for it,” Larkin said of Gibson’s tremendous run. “He’s calm. Even when things weren’t going well, he felt like it was going to turn, and good on him. A veteran guy who doesn’t get too high or too low, stuck with it, and believed in himself.”
“Our whole team is getting a confidence boost from him when he’s in the net.”
Lucas Raymond, who opened the scoring in the second period, knows from having played against Gibson in the past of how good he can be.
“He’s huge for us,” Raymond said of Gibson. “Playing against him, you knew he was a great goalie. But seeing him every day, and seeing how he takes care of himself, it’s incredible.”
Not only did Gibson pick up the shutout, but he also helped the Red Wings reclaim the first overall spot in the Atlantic division, leapfrogging the Canadiens and staying a step ahead of the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning.
This is the kind of goaltending that Yzerman and the Red Wings envisioned from Gibson when they acquired him in late June, and he’s been delivering on both victories and overall club confidence.
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