Ducks send G Gibson to Red Wings for G Mrazek, draft picks

The Anaheim Ducks traded goalie John Gibson to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, ending months of speculation about his future.

Detroit sent goaltender Petr Mrazek, a 2026 fourth-round selection and a 2027 second-round selection to the Ducks in exchange for Gibson, who spent the first 12 seasons of his NHL career in Anaheim. Gibson has two years left on the eight-year contract he signed in 2018 with a $6.4 million cap hit.

“We want to thank John for his time with our organization and being an integral part of the Ducks for more than a decade,” Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. “It became clear John wanted a new opportunity, and after many discussions with him we felt now was the right time to make this move. John and his family became a major part of the community and their dedication to Orange County will leave a lasting impact. We wish John and his family all the best in their next chapter.”

Gibson, 31, was considered by many to be the best goaltender potentially available this offseason. He has been rumored to be on the move for multiple seasons thanks to his manageable cap hit and the Ducks’ lack of success in the standings. The emergence of 25-year-old goalie Lukas Dostal for Anaheim over the last two seasons made trading Gibson more feasible. The fact that Gibson only had a 10-team no-trade clause opened up the market for the Pittsburgh native.

After an outstanding rookie season in 2015-16 that saw him finish seventh for the Calder and Vezina trophies, Gibson’s numbers remained solid even as the Ducks slipped from playoff contention. They dipped from 2022-24 before rebounding last season, when Gibson had a .911 save percentage and a 2.77 goals-against average in 29 games, despite dealing with a series of injuries.

For his career, Gibson is 204-217-63 in 506 games with a .910 save percentage and a 2.89 goals-against average.

Mrazek, 33, is signed through next season with a $4.25 million cap hit. Anaheim will be his sixth team in 14 NHL seasons. Mrazek was 12-21-2 in 38 games between Chicago and Detroit, with an .891 save percentage and a 3.35 goals-against average. Mrazek and Dostal are both Czech.