Ducks’ Gibson and Zegras Continue to Draw Trade Interest
Anaheim Ducks’ general manager Pat Verbeek has confirmed to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun that trade inquiries continue to come in for starting goaltender John Gibson and rising center Trevor Zegras during the ongoing scouting combine.
John Gibson has frequently been the subject of trade speculation, especially since signing his eight-year, $51.2 million contract extension in 2019. Despite his established career, Gibson’s current trade value is likely at its lowest. In the 2023-24 season, Gibson recorded a career-worst .888 save percentage (SV%) over 46 games and allowed 9.6 goals above expected, according to MoneyPuck.
Throughout Anaheim’s rebuilding phase, Gibson has often been excused due to the weak defense in front of him. However, this season, the younger Lukáš Dostál outperformed him significantly. As a result, there’s a strong argument that Gibson might not even start for Anaheim at the beginning of the next season.
Gibson’s performance plummeted towards the end of the season, failing to achieve an SV% above .900 in his final eight games. However, his early-season performance was notably better, with a .904 SV% in 24 games before the New Year.
Once hailed as one of the top young goaltenders in the league, Gibson hasn’t posted an above-average season since his extension began, even with Anaheim’s weak defense. His last impressive season was in 2018-19, where he achieved a .917 SV% in 58 games and saved 13.3 goals above expected (GSAx).
With three seasons remaining on his contract, a $6.4 million cap hit, and a 10-team no-trade clause, it’s questionable whether the Ducks could secure a first-round pick for Gibson. This is especially true in a summer when other goaltenders with better recent performances, like Jacob Markström, Juuse Saros, and Linus Ullmark, are also available on the trade market.
Similarly, trading Trevor Zegras doesn’t come from a strong position either. Zegras faced injuries this season, managing just six goals and 15 points in 31 games. Although his potential in Anaheim remains promising, particularly with their strengthened prospect pool, including the acquisition of 2022 No. 5 pick Cutter Gauthier from the Flyers, the Ducks might be better off waiting to trade Zegras after a more impressive season. Holding onto Zegras could also maintain his trade value since he remains a restricted free agent at the end of his current deal.
It’s important to differentiate between receiving trade interest and actively shopping players. Verbeek’s comments suggest that the Ducks are merely fielding inquiries rather than seeking to trade Gibson and Zegras actively.
Given that Anaheim controls the signing rights for both players for several more seasons, there is no immediate pressure to trade either of them. This summer may not be the ideal time to move these key players, especially when their trade value is not at its peak.
