Updated 2x at 7:22 PM: The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a set of comments from new Red Wings goaltender John Gibson, who held a Zoom press conference earlier today, and now, DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills offers his take on the Gibson presser:
Gibson believes two key faces behind Detroit’s bench will help him get used to his new surroundings.
“He holds his standard and principles, and you just kind of go,” Gibson said about Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan, who he played for on Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. “Piggybacking off that, I had a lot of experience with [assistant coach] Trent Yawney as well. Kind of grew up with him –he was my first coach in Norfolk and had him for quite a few years in Anaheim, so having some familiar faces there with Trent and Todd definitely helps ease the transition.”
What’s more, Gibson has already heard from some of his new Red Wings teammates, including captain Dylan Larkin and fellow goalie Cam Talbot.
“Still kind of going through, getting some names and numbers,” Gibson said. “I’m meeting everybody now. Obviously, with July 1 and everything going on, it’s been a busy week and I’m sure it’ll be a busy few days. I’m sure as things start to settle in and all that, then there will be more of that going on.”
With plenty of talent set to play in front of him, Gibson said he sees promise in Detroit’s roster and is determined to help the club take that next step in 2025-26.
“Their resume over the last few years shows that they’re right there,” Gibson said about the Red Wings. “That’s where I want to be. I want to be fighting for the playoffs and get in the playoffs. I truly feel that all you got to do is make it in the playoffs, and once you do that it’s a whole new season whether you’re the Presidents’ Trophy Winner or the eighth seed. You never know what could happen.”
Update: Here’s more from Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen:
He says that shows the Red Wings are right there. “That’s where I want to be,” Gibson said. “I want to be fighting for the playoffs, getting in the playoffs. I truly feel that all you got to do is make it in the playoffs. And once you do that It’s a whole new season, whether you’re the President’s Trophy winner or the eight seed. You never know what could happen.”
You can tell players are excited about this move. Captain Dylan Larkin called Gibson when he was still on the boat in Cabo. “It was kind of crazy,” Gibson said.
He heard from goalie partner Cam Talbot who he knew only by playing against him. He knows Andrew Copp because they both have the same agent. Players know what Gibson’s arrival means. Even though he hasn’t had NHL playoff success, he owns a reputation of a high level goalkeeper.
“I’m super excited,” Gibson said. “It’s a new chapter, fresh start, kind of going in, excited to prove myself. I mean, I think it’s just an exciting opportunity. You get a team in an organization that really wants to get back in the playoff hockey. They’ve been so close for a couple years, and for me, just coming in, being a part of that, such a historic franchise, and just like with the new arena, it’s just really exciting time. I’m really privileged and honored to be coming in and be a part of it all.”
Update #2: Here’s more from the Detroit News’s John Niyo:
“Yeah, I mean, [the trade rumors have] been going back and forth for a while,” Gibson said. “Personally, I just felt that I had more to offer. I mean, it’s nothing against anybody there (in Anaheim). They have their own way of looking at it, and they’ve got a great young goalie coming up.
“But at the end of the day, I gotta worry about what’s good for my career, and I felt like I needed a change of scenery, a fresh start. I still feel like I have a lot to prove, and I’m happy that I got the opportunity here in Detroit.”
First, he’ll have to find a place to live after spending more than a decade on the West Coast. But he and his wife, Alexa, and their three kids spend their summers in Pittsburgh, Gibson’s hometown, which is where he was Tuesday morning when he met with Detroit media via Zoom, talking about the 72-hour whirlwind his family had just endured.
“Honestly, it feels like it just started sinking in here,” said Gibson, who also spent two years (2009-11) in Ann Arbor with the USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program prior to getting drafted. “But for me and my family, we’re really excited for the next chapter.”
He admits he doesn’t know the Wings’ roster, chapter and verse, though he played for McLellan with Team USA in the 2016 World Cup and for lead assistant Trent Yawney in the minors. But team captain Dylan Larkin called him soon after the trade was announced Saturday. Gibson and Andrew Copp share the same agent as well. And he already has spoken to Cam Talbot, the other veteran goalie he’ll be playing alongside in Detroit.
“We’re kind of both on the same page,” Gibson said. “We want to do whatever we can to help carry this team to the playoffs.”
