LOS ANGELES – In a long process between Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek, veteran goalie John Gibson and his agent Kurt Overhardt, the Ducks found a fresh start for their longtime netminder in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.
Verbeek said in a media call that the trade process was not unlike the one he engaged with former longtime Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler last season.
For Gibson, it had been an even longer process, as the 31-year-old sought a more competitive destination during the Ducks rebuild and now a spot to take on a No. 1 starter mantle with the rise of Lukáš Dostál in Anaheim.
“It was discussions over the last couple years,” Verbeek said. “The relationship with myself, John and the agent, I think it was such where if there was an opportunity to move, he would welcome it, but there was always a caveat that it had to make sense for the Ducks as well. They both understood that. And so we worked on that premise. Today… we got to the finish line. So, I think it’s a good thing for John and for the team.”
In return, the Ducks acquired journeyman Petr Mrázek, who Verbeek was familiar with during the Czech goalie’s first longer stint in Detroit, and future draft picks in 2026 and 2027. Verbeek had long maintained that he had a value for Gibson and wouldn’t trade if that value wasn’t being met, but he found an amenable partner with his old boss Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings.
“I think probably the way the contracts set up, John had two years left. I think that made sense for both Detroit and for us to move forward,” Verbeek said. “From that perspective, Detroit obviously gets two years of a number one goaltender, and for us, we’re able to give ourselves a little more flexibility with Petr Mrázek coming back on a one-year contract.”
“The future picks were something that we were able to acquire, which makes sense. So at some point, hopefully we’ll be able to use those assets for other things to improve our team in other areas that we feel that we need to shore up.”
Verbeek will look to improve the team in front of the goal crease with free agency beginning on Tuesday, July 1, as he is now more than comfortable handing the load to Dostál and roughly 30 starts to Mrázek as a dependable back-up.
“I think seeing Lukáš play 54 games probably helped last year. Not sure I’m ecstatic that I want him to play that many,” Verbeek said. “It’s a lot of games. And so, bringing in Mrázek, he’s carried the load for different teams at different times. That experience that he has in that area made it more comfortable to be able to do that.”
Verbeek had maintained multiple times in the past that he was more than happy carrying both Dostál and Gibson, but again, he became comfortable with the deal Detroit offered to grant Gibson his wish for a fresh start.
“We had a really good tandem last year, and I wasn’t really crazy about breaking up the tandem,” Verbeek said, “but I think with getting a goaltender that I felt comfortable with coming back that could support Lukáš made a difference.”
Below is a full transcript of the media availability with Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek on Saturday (questions and responses edited for clarity):
It seemed like this deal was something that maybe gestated for a bit of time. What were the elements in it that pushed it over the finish line?
I think just trying to make sure that we got fair value for John Gibson. He’s a really good goalie, and, you know, 1A, 1B, whatever you want to talk about. I think the circumstance of John and Kurt Overhardt and myself working together to give John a fresh start and a new place was something that we worked for. In another interview (on NHL Network), as much like Cam Fowler looking for a fresh start, and so we were able to kind of provide John with a fresh start.
You know Petr Mrázek. What do you foresee what role he can play alongside Lukáš there. Do you envision a number of starts that he could make?
We’re certainly going to be counting on him for at least 30 starts. I think the cool thing is Lukáš and Petr were teammates at the World Championships. They’re very familiar with one another. They’re good friends. Petr’s very competitive. And so, having that relationship, I feel that they’re going to push each other real hard to be the best, and I think it’ll be a good tandem.
How much did John seek out wanting the fresh start, wanting a new home? How much did he drive this?
It was discussions over the last couple years. The relationship with myself, John and the agent, I think it was such where if there was an opportunity to move, he would welcome it, but there was always a caveat that it had to make sense for the Ducks as well. They both understood that. And so we worked on that premise. Today it just happened to–we got to the finish line. So, I think it’s a good thing for John and for the team.
You had said in previous interviews regarding Gibson and trades that you had a value in mind and you would stick to it ,and as you said, the deal just didn’t make sense at the time. So why did it finally make sense now and in the value sense?
I think probably the way the contracts set up, John had two years left. I think that made sense for both Detroit and for us to move forward, and from that perspective, Detroit obviously gets two years of a number one goaltender, and for us, we’re able to give ourselves a little more flexibility with Petr Mrázek coming back on a one-year contract. Then the future picks were something that we were able to acquire, which makes sense. So at some point, hopefully we’ll be able to use those assets for other things to improve our team in other areas that we feel that we need to shore up.
Can you speak a bit on how Lukáš Dostál’s rise made this a more comfortable move for you guys to not just have the 1A/1B tandem, but to kind of lean into Lukáš a bit more?
I think seeing Lukáš play 54 games probably helped last year. Not sure I’m ecstatic that I want him to play that many. It’s a lot of games. And so, bringing in Mrázek, he’s carried the load for different teams at different times. That experience that he has in that area made it more comfortable to be able to do that. We had a really good tandem last year, and I wasn’t really crazy about breaking up the tandem. But I think with getting a goaltender that I felt comfortable with coming back that could support Lukáš made a difference.
I wanted to ask you a little bit more about the process, because there’s a lot involved here. Obviously, he had some level of trade protection. You have to look at the market. I imagine that prior to this point, there was a lot of talk about retention. Obviously, you guys didn’t retain a dime in this deal. If you just talk about maybe some of the obstacles previously when you guys had had talks and also how the process was. You wanted to make sure that Gibbie was comfortable or were you more going off his no trade list and just trying to find a franchise that wasn’t on that?
Certainly, with the no-trade list, that kind of, you know, I mean, you guys can look around the league, you can look around who’s got number one goaltenders. YOu have to overcome that obstacle, and then there’s another obstacle with the no trade list. So certainly, at some point, you know, Gibby opened up his list for other opportunities after they had arisen. So it allowed us to kind of expand the discussions with other teams, which ultimately, Detroit ended up stepping up in the last couple days to push through to get a deal done.
You get a veteran netminder back, but on a one-year term. What do you think about your pipeline? I know last year’s Suchanek had a major injury. Clara moved around, developmentally, and you drafted a goaltender in the fifth round. Where do you see things shaping up maybe as far as the quality of the pipeline, ETAs, any insight you could share there?
I think the pipeline is in good shape. It’s just a matter now of finding a good third goaltender for us, and ultimately, if we’re able to do that, that it will allow, if we have any injuries up top, it’ll allow us to be able to call that third goaltender up to support either goalie. It also allows San Diego to have a good goaltender to carry a lot of the load and allow our younger guys to keep maturing. Goaltenders, they just take longer. It’s a difficult position to play, and they just need more time. And so I feel comfortable with how things are kind of set up at this point to allow our younger guys to keep competing, keep developing for that next spot in San Diego.
Do you think Ville Husso might be a candidate for that number three job, or you maybe look in another direction?
I would say that that’s a good guess. He’d be a guy that could be very helpful in that role. Yes.
Was Detroit on Gibson’s list as no trade list?
No, he wasn’t on their no trade list, because if he wasn’t, we wouldn’t have traded him there.
Steve Yzerman said earlier today that he’d kind of looked into Gibson at the trade deadline and it didn’t work out because of the injury. Is that true?
How would you say this deal impact your negotiations with Dostál and his agent, if at all?
I don’t think that’s going to affect anything at all. Lukáš is a good goalie, and we’ll go about going through the process that we normally do when we negotiate contracts.