The NHL-leading Anaheim Ducks (10-3-0) got positive injury news on starting goaltender Frederik Andersen recently, but some not so good news on stellar rookie back-up John Gibson. As a result, the team and general manager Bob Murray have begun to look at potential replacement options, according to a report from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
21-year-old Gibson is sidelined at least six weeks - though some think it could keep him out much longer - with a groin injury, according to CBS Los Angeles. The organization's immediate response was to recall goalies Igor Bobkov and Jason LaBarbera from the AHL. LaBarbera made 16 saves in the Ducks win over Colorado on Sunday.
Should Bobkov and LaBarbera falter though, and Gibson's injury proves more serious than initially reported, a move for a veteran, whether via free agency or trade, is not out of the question.
Unrestricted free agents like Martin Brodeur, Tomas Vokoun and Ilya Bryzgalov have all been mentioned as possible additions, LeBrun reports.
Bryzgalov, who played in the Ducks organization for five years, two of which he spent with the big club, could be an interesting addition based solely on his history with the team. He has a career 2.56 GAA and .913 SV%. At 34, he's the youngest of the top-tier free agent goaltenders on the market. Last season, Bryzgalov split time between Edmonton and Minnesota.
Vokoun is a high character player who will almost assuredly end up with a team at some point this season, whether via injury or poor performance. He could act as something of a mentor to Andersen and Gibson.
And Brodeur is, well, Brodeur. At 42 and after 21 years in the league, he's no longer the player he once was. But his signing would create major waves and, no doubt, swell the already turgid ranks of Ducks fans. Like Voukon, he could assume the role of mentor to Anaheim's youngsters.
As for a potential trade, Kevin Allen of USA Today's For The Win seems to think, should reports of the severity of Gibson's injury be accurate, the loss of a valuable resource would offset any gains the team would make by trading for a new player.
"Seems like an unlikely option because the Ducks would have to give up an asset. The free agents they could sign (relatively cheaply) would probably be better than most of the goalies they could acquire in a trade. If Andersen's injury lingers, it would be different story. Would they make a run at Toronto's James Reimer?"
Reimer is 26 and in his sixth season with the Maple Leafs organization. He has a career 2.84 GAA and .914 SV%. He is young, relatively cheap and stuck behind an established starter in Jonathan Bernier.
The Ducks are interested in making a potential move depending on the performance of their young netminders, but as LeBrun notes, should none of the options at their disposal prove to be an ideal fit, the organization is perfectly content to move forward with what they have in house.
