Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

John Gibson must continue to be a difference-maker for Ducks

January 19, 2021, 8:43 PM ET [1 Comments]
Ben Shelley
Anaheim Ducks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Follow me on Twitter: @BenShelley_20
Follow HockeyBuzz Ducks on Twitter: @HB_Ducks


The Anaheim Ducks are off to a 1-1-1 start this season and are coming off a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. Despite collecting three of a possible six points, the Ducks have scored just four goals through their first three games of the season. However, they’ve been helped in a huge way by their star goaltender, John Gibson.

After a rough first game, Gibson has rebounded to stop 65 of 67 shots over the last two games.


It’s not the number of shots he’s facing, it’s the quality of chances Anaheim is giving up. On top of that, Anaheim’s forward group doesn’t have the firepower to outscore their opponents. While the Ducks could just be starting slow, if the team wants to make a push for the playoffs, Gibson will have to be a significant part of it.

We saw what happened when Gibson posted just a .904 save percentage last season, after averaging a .922 save percentage in 170 games across the three prior seasons. His performance has a huge impact on the Ducks’ success, based on how much he’s relied upon.

It was certainly promising to see Anaheim play their best game of the season defensively against Minnesota. That said, even in a good game for the team, Gibson had to be perfect for the Ducks to win and it’s likely that he’ll need to be great all season for Anaheim to have a shot at the playoffs.

The good news is, Gibson is up to the task. He remains one of the league’s best goaltenders and if anyone can provide a team with stability in net, it’s him. But for the Ducks to have success this year, he has to continue to be the team’s best player.



***NOTE: We've launched a HockeyBuzz Ducks Twitter account! For anyone interested, you can follow @HB_Ducks for updates on articles, Ducks news, etc.***

Here’s today’s poll question (results and discussion will be posted in a future article):

Of the 56 games this year, how many do you expect John Gibson to start for the Ducks?
45 games or more
40-45 games
35-40 games
Less than 35 games


Created with QuizMaker

OTHER DUCKS ARTICLES FROM JANUARY

Breaking down Anaheim's training camp roster
Trevor Zegras has been dominant at World Juniors
Weekly Recap: Ducks Edition (January 3)
West Division Comparison: Ducks/Coyotes
West Division Comparison: Ducks/Avalanche
Five Ducks prospects earn medals at World Juniors, Zegras named MVP
Ducks re-sign Anthony Stolarz
Ducks waive David Backes, Christian Djoos and seven others
Christian Djoos claimed by Red Wings
Weekly Recap: Ducks Edition (January 10)
West Division Comparison: Ducks/Wild
Ducks assign 11 players to AHL
Ducks announce roster and taxi squad
West Division Comparison: Ducks/Golden Knights
Ducks lose to Golden Knights in season opener
Ducks sign Ben Hutton
Weekly Recap: Ducks Edition (January 17)
Ducks beat Wild for first win of season
Join the Discussion: » 1 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Ben Shelley
» Ducks trade Jacob Perreault to Canadiens, acquire Jan Mysak
» Ducks trade Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick to Oilers
» Ducks send Ilya Lyubushkin to Maple Leafs in three-team trade
» Ducks rally to erase four-goal deficit against Blue Jackets, but fall 7-4
» Examining the Ducks’ trade deadline options