The Detroit Red Wings face perhaps their toughest opponent of the season so far on Monday when they travel to Edmonton to take on the 8-2-1 Oilers, whose 17 points give them the fourth-best record in the NHL and the Pacific Division lead.
The Red Wings take on the challenge with their normal starting goalkeeper on the bench. John Gibson, a 14-year veteran and three-time All-Star, will sit this one out, coach Todd McLellan announced Monday morning.
With regular backup Daniil Tarasov listed as day-to-day with an unspecified injury, undrafted rookie Michal Postava gets his first chance to tend the twine in the NHL as a starting goalie, McLellan announced.
Postava will make his first NHL start Monday night, when the Red Wings take to the ice at Rogers Place, four days after the 24-year-old Czech made an unplanned debut in Vancouver.
McLellan confirmed the decision, according to DetroitRedWings.com‘s Jonathan Mills, with Tarasov still sidelined and Gibson coming off a losing start in Calgary on Saturday.
Postava was recalled from the Grand Rapids Griffins on Oct. 22 after Tarasov went down with an undisclosed injury, then relieved Gibson in the third period of a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. He stopped seven of the eight shots he faced, according to NHL.com.
“I don’t have time to think about anything, so yeah, I just warm up and be ready,” Postava said, as quoted by NHL.com. He had flown out of Grand Rapids at 6 a.m. and landed in Vancouver around noon, then learned during the second intermission that Gibson, who had some sort of eye issue, would not return.
“That’s not the way we planned it,” McLellan said, according to NHL.com. “(Postava) did a real good job, happy for him, and congratulations, you’re in the NHL now.”
Tarasov, hurt in practice Wednesday, has not returned to the lineup.
Michal Postava’s Path to the Detroit Red Wings
A native of Valasske Mezirici, Czechia, Postava stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 222 pounds. He went undrafted and signed with Detroit on June 10, 2025, after helping HC Kometa Brno win the Czech Extraliga title. He went 23-18-0 with a 2.39 goals-against average in the regular season, then went 10-7 with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage in the playoffs and earned Best Goaltender and Playoff MVP honors in the Extraliga, according to DetroitRedWings.com.
“My dad passed when I was 13 years old, and I try to be better every day because of him,” Postava said, as quoted by DetroitRedWings.com. “I want to make him proud.”
Postava spent 2025-26 with the Griffins, going 17-6-0 with a 1.71 goals-against average, a .937 save percentage and four shutouts in 25 games. He shared the AHL’s Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award with Sebastian Cossa. Postava opened this season 4-0-0 with a 1.25 goals-against average and .954 save percentage before the recall.
Detroit Red Wings Goalie Situation Ahead of Oilers Game
Gibson, the Red Wings’ primary starter, is 3-4-1 with a 3.44 goals-against average and an .867 save percentage, according to NHL.com. Both marks trail his career figures of .909 and 2.88.
Gibson started Saturday in Calgary and stopped 21 shots in a 4-1 loss. Tarasov, signed as the backup, owns a 1.40 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage in limited action. Postava was listed as Gibson’s backup Saturday in Calgary.
Detroit is 4-4-3 with 11 points after a 1-3-0 start. The Red Wings then pushed their point streak to six games (3-0-3) before a 4-1 loss in Calgary on Saturday ended it.
“I thought it was one of our poorer nights, as far as execution goes,” McLellan said, as quoted by DetroitRedWings.com. It was Detroit’s first regulation loss in 15 days.
Postava will face an Edmonton team whose Leon Draisaitl led the NHL’s weekly three stars after nine points in three games, according to NHL.com.
Red Wings Announce Surprise John Gibson Decision Before Oilers Game