The Detroit Red Wings allowed five-plus goals in each of John Gibson’s last two starts. That could raise red flags for some fans.
A quick look at Gibson’s stats tells a sad story. Gibson is now 1-3-1 as the Red Wings starter. He has an .863 save percentage, a 3.76 GAA, and a .200 quality starts percentage. His save percentage ranks 37th among NHL goaltenders, and his GAA is the eighth-worst in the NHL.
But if fans remember correctly, Gibson’s numbers were beyond pedestrian early in 2025-26, and he rebounded to become one of the better goaltenders in hockey. Last October, Gibson posted seven starts. He ended the month with an .875 save percentage, a 3.32 GAA, and no shutouts.
Fast-forward to Dec. 1, 2025, and things got even uglier for Gibson. His .865 save percentage was the seventh-worst in hockey, and his 3.59 GAA was the eighth-worst. At that point, Gibson gave fans little reason to believe he was even a solid stopgap in the net.
Between Dec. 2, 2025, and Apr. 16, 2026, Gibson changed the narrative. Even with Detroit missing the playoffs, Gibson posted a .912 save percentage, good for fifth in the NHL. His 2.45 GAA was sixth, and his four shutouts tied for second.
That’s not saying the same thing will happen this season. But recent history shows that it took two months for Gibson to find his groove.
John Gibson Faces A Greater Challenge With The Red Wings
Last season, nobody was a threat to take Gibson’s job. Cam Talbot started hot, but he faded as the season progressed. Ultimately, Gibson received most of the starts, and Talbot slid into a backup role. Talbot hardly saw the ice after Mar. 8, making six starts from then until the end of the season.
In 2026-27, Gibson could end up battling Daniil Tarasov for the top role. Tarasov is off to a hot start with Detroit. Should he keep seizing the opportunities thrown his way, Tarasov won’t be spending time on the bench in five out of every six contests.
While they may not be a threat early in the season, Michal Postava and Trey Augustine could ultimately give Gibson a reason to look over his shoulder. Postava is once again turning heads. He has posted a 1.34 GAA with the Griffins, a .950 save percentage, and a 3-0-0 record.
Augustine is still adjusting, with a 3.90 GAA and an .857 save percentage. That could change once he’s acclimated to the AHL game.
Gibson Is Also Part Of A Younger Red Wings Team
Despite losing 5-4 to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the Red Wings have more than their fair share of upstart talent. This means younger goaltenders may be preferable for the Red Wings as they continue to get younger and try to salvage their season.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard has made significant strides. He’s second on the team with five points. Brandsegg-Nygard also has two goals this season and has been relentlessly shooting the puck.
Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are staples. Meanwhile, Emmitt Finnie is emerging with three points and two goals. Then, there is Anton Johansson, who picked up his first point on Tuesday. Nate Danielson was a healthy scratch on Tuesday, but if he sticks around the NHL lineup, he has better-than-expected underlying numbers to help out the cause.
For Gibson, the youth movement could make for his swan song with the Red Wings. But if he rebounds and starts putting up gaudy numbers, fans will see a more competitive hockey team on the ice.
John Gibson’s Rough Start Should Look Familiar To Red Wings Fans