Last night, Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson exited the game before the third period with an apparent injury. New Jersey Devils forward crashed the net, resulting in Gibson leaving after stopping 20 shots. Fortunately, backup Cam Talbot was around to help the team scoop up a much-needed Eastern Conference win against the New Jersey Devils. This was the team's first combined shutout since 2019.
After the game, head coach Todd McLellan delivered an update on the goaltender's injury. "He got hit in a bad spot, and didn't feel good after that happened," McLellan said in a post-game press conference. "He should be fine, I would think." This news comes as a colossal relief to the Red Wings, who played last night without captain Dylan Larkin after he sustained an injury on Friday against the Florida Panthers.
Red Wings playing it safe with Gibson
Last week, Gibson sustained what McLellan referred to as a "stinger", sitting out last Monday's game. This time around, the Red Wings elected to play it safe, letting Gibson recover early on in order to keep him fresh for the playoffs. It speaks to Detroit's late-season load management and understanding of their assets. Gibson is 32 years old. He's already started 41 games this season. The last three Marches in Red Wings history have been nothing short of brutal. Keeping Gibson as healthy as possible for that stretch should pay dividends down the road.
In 41 starts with the Red Wings, Gibson has a 24-13-2 record, a .907 save percentage and 2.52 goals against average. Gibson has four shutouts on the season, good for third highest in the NHL. He's helped the Red Wings to their best season in nearly a decade. Currently, Detroit is third in the Atlantic and hold a six point lead on a playoff spot ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Goaltending depth keeping Red Wings afloat
It also speaks to Detroit's trust in Cam Talbot that they can rely on him when Gibson goes down. While Talbot is 38 and sporting just an .891 save percentage, he's still capable of stealing a few games here and there. After all, he played a key role in securing a shutout last night against the Devils.
Behind Talbot sits Sebastian Cossa, a two-time AHL Player of the Month, AHL All-Star and the second-best goals against average in the AHL. It's safe to assume that Talbot will either retire or the Red Wings will give Cossa his chance to become a full-time NHL goaltender. On an even better front, the Red Wings have another rising star in the goaltending pipeline. As far as the situation between the pipes goes, the Red Wings are set up for long-term success.
The Red Wings should have additional updates on Gibson as the week goes on.