The Anaheim Ducks have been having trouble on the ice for several years and it’s not the recent selection of Leo Carlsson in the entry draft that makes goaltender John Gibson want to stay in the organization.
Thus, the athlete evolving within the California training since 2013-2014 demanded a transaction, according to what journalist Frank Seravalli indicated in the most recent podcast “Nasty Knuckles”. It must be said that the reconstruction promises to be long for the club of general manager Pat Verbeek who concluded the last campaign in the cellar of the general classification with only 58 points. And unfortunately for home fans, the Ducks saw the No. 1 draft pick – and by extension Connor Bedard – slip away from them in the lottery held in May.
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“How do you think John Gibson feels after the last 3-4 years, having been strafed with fire on a daily basis and knowing as soon as he walked to the arena that he had no chance of winning? It’s sad and guess what? He asked for a trade saying he will never play a game for Anaheim again,” said the hockey expert.
Gibson finished second in the National League with 1,983 shots faced last year. He went 14-31-8 with a 3.99 goals-against average and .899 save percentage.
His contract is valid until the end of 2026-2027 and includes a partial no-trade list. The goaltender earns $6.4 million a year.