The biggest move that the Detroit Red Wings and general manager (GM) Steve Yzerman made this past offseason was at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft when they traded for Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson. The hope was that the veteran goaltender could come to Detroit and help stabilize a position that Yzerman has been working on since his return to the organization he spent his entire career with. But Gibson’s start to his time in a Red Wings jersey did not go well. But it seems that since the calendar turned over to December, the 32-year-old has begun to regain the form that made him one of the league’s better goaltenders in his time in Anaheim. With his play as of late, he could become one of the biggest x-factors in the team’s success the rest of the season.
Rough Start in Detroit
After seeing names like Alex Nedeljkovic and Ville Husso come and go from Detroit as goaltenders that were originally brought in with hopes of being the answer for the Red Wings, the addition of a solidified veteran like Gibson gave many hope that he could finally be the answer, even if it would only be for a couple of seasons. On the flip side of the coin, some had reservations due to his injury-riddled history. The start to his time as a Red Wing could have gone a lot better, as he struggled out of the gates to be the number one starter.
In his first two months, he started in 13 games, posted a 4-7-1 record, and struggled overall. His save percentage (SV%) ranked second-worst among goaltenders who played in 10 or more games league-wide, at .865. To go along with that came a 3.59 goals-against average (GAA), which ranked third-worst among the same group of goaltenders with 10 or more games under their belts. Overall, his play was not what was expected and up to par for an organization looking to get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
Beginning to Find His Game in December
As mentioned above, once the calendar flipped to December, Gibson’s play has been on the uptick in a big way. He has started the month with a 4-0-0 record and has seen his SV% jump to .929. He has truly started to look more like the goaltender Yzerman and the organization expected when they acquired him. Compared to November, when he went 0-4-0 in six games, he has seen his “Goals Saved Above Expected” go from -3.88 to 3.89 (per moneypuck.com). He has looked more confident in the crease and has made more of the “big time” saves when called upon. The best start he has had this season came on Dec. 8 when he pitched a 39-save shutout against the Vancouver Canucks, and he has made 30-plus saves in three of his four starts this month.
While there are still times when he has struggled, which is expected out of all goaltenders, the way that Gibson is playing to start the final month of 2025 has given much hope to the organization and its fans that he could finally be turning the corner and finding his game, hopefully in time to get the Red Wings rolling into 2026.
Gibson Could Very Easily Be the Biggest X-Factor
Gibson’s goaltender partner, Cam Talbot, is one of the oldest goaltenders in the league (38 years old), and while he has had a solid start to the season, he should not have to be relied upon to carry the load with Gibson on the roster. If Gibson can continue to play the way that he has in December, it bodes very well for the Red Wings. Not only does he bring a solid one-two punch in the crease, but he will also help bring some added confidence and ease to the backend of the ice. Having two netminders that a team’s defense can rely on in crunch time and tough situations makes things easier for a team to play their style of game, and the Red Wings are no different.
Related: Red Wings Could’ve Fixed Their Goaltending Issues in 2012
On the flip side, if the last handful of games are just a “flash in the pan” type of situation and he is unable to keep his strong play up, it could put the Red Wings in a tough spot at the goaltender position. With Sebastian Cossa having a superb start in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Grand Rapids Griffins, there have been many calling for the 2021 first-round pick to get a legitimate shot in the NHL. If Gibson struggles, there is a chance that Cossa does get a shot.
Keeping An Eye on Gibson Going Forward
Either way you look at it, Gibson could end up being the biggest x-factor for the rest of the season for the Red Wings. If they want to make their long-awaited return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he will need to keep playing at the level he has been at over the last two-plus weeks. If he does not, things could get interesting at the goaltender position for the organization once again.
