Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas discuss the Red Wings’ trade with Anaheim for goaltender John Gibson at the 23-minute mark of the latest 32 Thoughts podcast.
Friedman states that he believes that the Red Wings were able to afford the deal in terms of compensation because the Ducks would not take money back in a trade, and he never thought that the Red Wings or anyone else would consummate a trade for Gibson, but the Wings are depending on Gibson’s health holding up this season for Detroit.
Mostly, he discusses Pat Verbeek’s free agency options as the Ducks have accrued significant salary cap space, the team’s drafting of Roger McQueen, and Friedman states that the Gibson deal may have been held up because Petr Mrazek either lost his phone or dropped it in water.
Love this trade.
I still hope Yzerman is working the phone with Verbeek on getting Gudas to Detroit. Throw a pick and unload Tarasenko or Holl to get Anaheim closer to the cap floor. All of them are in the final year of their deals so it could work.