The Detroit Red Wings have taken a step forward in their attempt to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign.
Detroit sits second in the Atlantic Division entering Wednesday’s action and are only two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for top spot.
A major reason for the boost has been the play of goaltender John Gibson, who was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks last June.
The 6-foot-3 netminder has a 19-9-1 record this season with a .902 save percentage and 2.74 goals-against average.
“He was brought in to, not save the team, but give them an opportunity to make the playoffs,” former Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood told NHL.com on Wednesday. “That’s a different type of pressure than he’s felt over the last few years [in Anaheim]. I think once he got over all that and wrapped his head around what’s expected of him, now he’s been on a roll. He looks comfortable now.”
Gibson got off to a slow start in Detroit, going 4-7-1 with a 3.59 GAA and .865 save percentage after the first two months.
Since then he has been more comfortable in the Red Wings’ net, going 15-2-0 with a .926 save percentage and a 2.12 GAA.
“I think any time you go from an organization you’ve been with so long, it’s kind of a culture shock a little bit, right?” Red Wings goaltending coach Michael Leighton told NHL.com. “You’re getting to know the players and how they play and how our systems work, so that can be an adjustment.”
“His chest is sticking out [and] he feels better,” head coach Todd McLellan also told NHL.com. “I notice it the most during the games, TV timeouts, when he comes to the bench, and he kind of takes charge. Just his interactions around the players has gone up immensely. He’s now got leadership qualities too that took a little while to come to fruition, but it’s happening.”
Gibson was drafted 39th overall by the Ducks in 2011 and entered the NHL with a lot of fanfare. He took over the net full-time in the 2016-17 season, leading the Ducks to the Western Conference Final.
However, Anaheim would make the playoffs one more time before undergoing a rebuild that saw them miss the postseason his last seven seasons with the team before the trade.
During this time, Gibson struggled with injuries and his overall numbers took a hit as he played in front of some young Ducks teams that were still learning how to win.
Gibson played 12 seasons in Anaheim, finishing second in franchise history with 204 wins, only two short of Jean-Sebastien Guigere. He also appeared in the most games of any goaltender in Ducks’ history with 506.
“I’ve been doing the same thing for 13 years,” Gibson said. “I mean, obviously, sometimes it shows better than others or this and that. But I’m just going out there, competing and hopefully giving the team the chance to win every night. That’s all we can do.”