The Detroit Red Wings may have found more stability in net than they expected after Daniil Tarasov’s second appearance.
Tarasov made his Red Wings debut on Friday, taking the ice just over 34 minutes into Detroit’s loss to the Seattle Kraken. He played well in relief before making his first start with the Wings on Saturday night. Although Tarasov lost that start in a shootout, he still technically recorded a shutout — which gave him a good first impression for fans.
Through his first 90:55 of action, Tarasov’s numbers are ridiculous. He’s posting a .974 save percentage and a .66 GAA. Granted, it’s a small sample size. But you look at John Gibson’s numbers through his first four starts and ask, “Should Tarasov see the ice more?”
Daniil Tarasov Is Showing He’s More Than A Backup Goaltender
Through four starts, Gibson has a 1-3-0 record, an .862 save percentage, a 3.43 GAA, and a .250 quality starts percentage. Those are awful numbers to start the 2026-27 campaign, and Gibson didn’t strike fear in the Kraken on Friday night when they scored at will in the second period.
Given Tarasov’s performance early on, it indicates that the Red Wings don’t need Gibson to carry the load this season. This isn’t saying that Tarasov should suddenly become Detroit’s number-one goaltender — even if he’s younger and is more likely to be in the team’s long-term plans while Trey Augustine and Michal Postava develop in Grand Rapids.
It is saying that Gibson and Tarasov may fare better in a timeshare. Something closer to a 1A/1B instead of Gibson factoring in as the clear-cut starter and Tarasov as the backup. If the Wings averaged starting Tarasov in two out of every five games, they have a great chance of keeping fresh legs in the net.
Red Wings Cannot Write Off John Gibson Regardless Of Tarasov’s Play
Recent history tells us it would be foolish to write off Gibson even if his numbers get marginal in October and throughout November. Last season, Gibson was horrific in October and November, posting a 4-7-1 record with an .865 save percentage. He allowed 3.38 goals per game.
Starting in December, Gibson changed the narrative. He posted a .912 save percentage, allowed 2.27 goals per game, and logged a 25-15-3 record. Gibson also played in most contests when backup Cam Talbot posted ineffective numbers, and he was a major reason the Red Wings stayed in contention longer than they otherwise would have.
Even if Gibson became the hot hand again and Tarasov still posted solid numbers, a timeshare may be the most effective route. Tarasov’s statistics won’t be as stellar as they were on Saturday night. That would be impossible to keep up. But if he hovered around the .900/.910 save percentage mark and held a GAA of 2.60/2.80, he needs to be a regular in the net.
It will be interesting to watch how the Red Wings sort this out in the coming games. But don’t be surprised if Tarasov starts seeing more time in the crease after his historic first start with Detroit.
Red Wings’ Daniil Tarasov Off To Absurd Start Through 2 Appearances