Detroit Red Wings netminder John Gibson stands to get a homecoming of sorts on Friday night as the Wings take on the Anaheim Ducks.
Gibson was drafted in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft by the Ducks. He was the 39th overall pick and looked poised to be the heir apparent.
The Pittsburgh native delivered on that promise. He took over the full-time starting job in 2015-16 and immediately became one of the best young starting goalies in the league. By 2017-18, Gibson started 60 games for Anaheim. The season was part of a string in which he started at least 50 games for four seasons in a row.
But injuries piled up, and the team in front of him didn’t play very well. So, trade speculation boiled over until the Ducks finally traded Gibson this past offseason. With various teams looking for goaltending help, Gibson was in hot demand.
The Red Wings were the team that put up the best offer and landed the now veteran goalie. With all that history, Friday night’s game is a bittersweet return to Anaheim for Gibson. The Ducks failed to make a meaningful playoff run during Gibson’s tenure, except for the 2017 postseason.
Beyond that, the Ducks let Gibson down, beyond his best efforts to guide the team to a winning record. Gibson was a good soldier, enduring the hardships of one of the most painful rebuilds in NHL history.
Now, Ducks fans may get to see just what they lost when John Gibson went out the door. The veteran netminder will be in the crease on Friday night, ready to take on his former teammates. A win would allow Gibson to come full circle, and get some much-needed closure.
Red Wings will also catch up with an old friend
One of the pieces in the Gibson blockbuster was Peter Mrazek. Mrazek went back to Anaheim as part of the return for Gibson. The Ducks needed a veteran insurance goalie behind rising star Lukas Dostal, while taking Mrazek off the Red Wings’ hands.
On Friday night, the Red Wings will have a chance to catch up with an old friend. Mrazek was originally drafted by the Red Wings in the 5th round of the 2010 NHL Draft. He played in parts of six seasons, earning the starting role during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
Like Gibson, Mrazek was on the tail end of the Red Wings’ historic playoff run before the team was plunged into a tough rebuild. Mrazek then bounced around numerous organizations before landing back in Detroit last season. He played all of five games and was back on the block.
Now, Mrazek, like Gibson, will have a chance to reacquaint himself with the team that drafted him. However, Gibson and Mrazek are in completely different places despite being at similar stages in their careers.
The storyline is an underrated one, but it could make for an early feel-good story. It would be nice to see Gibson and Mrazek go head-to-head, with both goalies having great games despite the tough starts to their seasons.