John Gibson returned to Anaheim looking to help the Detroit Red Wings stay hot against his old team. Unfortunately for him, he ended up allowing four goals in what was a 5-2 loss, marking the fourth time this season he would allow at least four into the net.
Through seven starts, Gibson has now allowed 22 goals and made 154 saves, giving him a save percentage of just 0.875 with a GAA of over 3.20. That's not what the Red Wings envisioned when they traded for Gibson, and he's already in danger of sliding from wearing the 'disappointment' label to outright bust through just one month of play.
It's not fair to blame Gibson for all of the shortcomings so far in 2025-26, as the Red Wings have struggled through their own lapses in concentration that have led to easy goals from opponents, but that's exactly what makes a solid netminder. Those who step up and do at least a solid job in the crease when their team breaks down vs. those who perform the way Gibson has.
John Gibson trade is looking like a mistake by the Detroit Red Wings
On the surface, giving up a second and fourth-round pick, plus Petr Mrazek, seemed like a brilliant idea. Gibson also seemed like an upgrade over Alex Lyon, who never fully grasped the starting job during his time in the Winged Wheel.
But trading for Gibson still came with a risk, thanks to his injuries and up-and-down play with the Ducks. Sure, Gibson played for a bad hockey team, and yes, he kept them in games and enjoyed some stellar performances in 2024-25, but he was also heading into his age-32 season, and it was fair to wonder how much adequate play he had left in him.
At least in hindsight, it's frustrating, especially when you see what Alex Lyon is doing in Buffalo. Lyon may be a year older than Gibson, but has played in far fewer games at the NHL level, meaning his body is likely struggling through less wear and tear than Gibson's.
So far in 2025-26, Lyon has compiled a 0.912 save percentage, a 2.90 GAA, plus a shutout. His quality starts percentage is a healthy 0.778, and he's showing no signs of slowing down.
Not the end of the world for John Gibson in Detroit
Now, nobody saw Gibson struggling like this back in July, and we definitely didn't see Lyon enjoying what's going to be a career year. And the good news is that Gibson still has enough time to turn this around, but allowing at least four goals in four out of seven starts is a major red flag if Gibson plans on snagging the No. 1 goaltender job for himself, at least until Sebastian Cossa proves he's ready.
Still, as things stand today, Cam Talbot needs to be the Red Wings' 1A. Talbot hasn't been much better than solid, with a 0.897 save percentage and 2.94 GAA to go with a 0.600 quality starts percentage, but he gives the Red Wings a better chance to win over Gibson.
It would be smarter to start him two out of every three games until Gibson proves he can find consistency.