Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has been working overtime this offseason, with another notable trade being announced at the 2025 NHL Draft. This time, career Ducks goaltender John Gibson is being sent to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for netminder Petr Mrazek and a handful of draft picks.
There had been whispers that Gibson was available on the trade market, but Verbeek finally pulled the trigger Saturday and got himself a reliable backup for Lukas Dostal. This deal has been in the works since the trade deadline, according to Detroit GM Steve Yzerman, but the timing didn't pan out due to Gibson's injury.
"You know, they have an excellent young goaltender in Dostal and John was looking for a fresh start and he has an opportunity in Detroit to play a lot of games. "Detroit GM Steve Yzerman, to NHL Network
This marks Verbeek's third major swap in just the last few weeks: first, Anaheim acquired Chris Kreider and a fourth-round pick from the New York Rangers, giving up prospect Carey Terrance and a third-rounder in the process.
That was followed by the trade that sent young talent Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers, receiving Ryan Poehling and several draft picks in return.
Finally, trading Gibson away sends the message that Verbeek is moving away from the old strategy and instead adopting a "win-now" mentality that could see the Ducks rise through the standings after a disappointing 6th-place Pacific Division finish this season.
Even the jump from a 50-loss season in 2023-24 -- the most losses in franchise history -- to a 35-37-10 record this past year is a testament to the work Verbeek has done behind the scenes. It should give Ducks fans hope that this next generation of Ducks skaters is capable of chasing a playoff berth.
Gibson was one of the last remaining players from Anaheim's era of dominance that saw the team become the Pacific Division champions for five straight seasons from 2012-13 through 2016-17. Now, it's time to look to the future and be re-established as legitimate playoff contenders.
The Ducks have addressed their goal scoring issues with the addition of Kreider, and now strengthen their skills in the net with Mrazek, a proven goalie with a career statline of .906 SV% and 2.85 GAA skating for five different teams.
In adding these veteran skaters, it allows the Ducks to put young guns like Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson in a position to flourish, supported by established NHLers around them such as Kreider, Troy Terry, and Alex Killorn.
The blue line already features an effective blend of longtime blueliners like Rakdo Gudas and Jacob Trouba with up-and-coming prospects. Five defenders under contract for Anaheim are age 25 or younger.
With Joel Quenneville behind the bench, despite being a controversial choice, he is a coach that has brought out the best in his players historically during his storied tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks. He replaces Greg Cronin, who never garnered a reputation for greatness during his stint in Anaheim.
As free agency approaches, the Ducks carry $38.2 million in cap space with their eyes on major UFA targets like Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser, and Nikolaj Ehlers. Adding an elite scorer like one of those skaters could be what tips the scale in Anaheim's favor and continues to solve the big problem that was goal scoring.
The Ducks' focus has shifted to setting up the developing players for success going forward, and Verbeek will without a doubt continue to be active entering the free agent frenzy.