Rotowire’s John Britt makes fantasy hockey predictions for the 2025-2026 season, and he’s bullish on Red Wings goaltender John Gibson’s resurgence:
John Gibson’s fantasy renaissance in Detroit
Gibson has every tool to re-emerge as a top-10 fantasy goalie now that he’s found new life in Detroit. Anaheim’s defensive collapse over the last several seasons skewed his stat line beyond recognition. In 2022-23, the Ducks ranked last in expected goals against per 60 at 5-on-5 and followed it up by coughing up more than 32 shots against per game in 2024-25. Regardless of his performance, that environment was a recipe that decimated Gibson’s win totals and ballooned his GAA. However, a closer look at last season’s numbers reveals some signs of improvement. In 29 games, he registered a solid 2.77 GAA and .912 save percentage. More importantly, his shot-quality numbers turned positive again: he finished with a Goals Saved Above Average (GSAA) above zero for the first time in five years.
Believe it or not, Detroit offers a dramatic upgrade compared to what he’s seen over the last half-decade in Anaheim. The Moritz Seider-Simon Edvinsson pairing allowed only 1.44 goals against per 60 at 5-on-5, the third-best mark among pairings with 400+ minutes. Combine that duo with a more balanced (and very deep) forward group, and Gibson should see fewer high-danger events while simultaneously benefiting from improved offensive support to help reward him with wins.
Gibson’s ceiling is proven, and he just turned 32 this summer. The three-time All-Star posted seasons with a .924 and .926 save percentages earlier in his career, along with a +20 GSAA season in 2018-19. Those peaks show what he’s capable of when the structure in front of him holds. With Detroit trending upward defensively and Gibson already flashing a rebound in his underlying numbers, the path to top-10 fantasy status is clear.
Continued; let’s hope…
