Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson underwent an appendectomy on Wednesday night, a team spokesperson confirmed to The Athletic on Thursday, and the procedure might put his availability for the start of the season in jeopardy.
Gibson had been participating in the Ducks training-camp practices but had yet to appear in a preseason game. The team, which opens the season on Oct. 12 in San Jose, is expected to give a possible timeline on Gibson’s return on Thursday night.
Gibson, 31, is entering his 12th season with the Ducks, and while he has 193 career wins, this already figured to be a season in which he shared the net with Lukáš Dostál. Dostál, 24, posted better overall numbers in a career-high 44 games last season, 38 of which were starts. Playing behind a struggling defense the past two seasons, Gibson has suffered statistically. Gibson had a career-worst .888 save percentage last season, after a career-worst 3.99 goals-against average in 2022-23.
Gibson, whose name often comes up in possible Ducks trades, has three years left on the contract extension he signed in 2018. His $6.4 million cap hit ranks seventh among starting goalies (six of whom remain active), but Boston’s Jeremy Swayman and the New York Rangers’ Igor Shersterkin should overtake that figure once they agree to new contracts.
The Ducks have confidence in Dostál, a third-round draft pick in 2018 who made his NHL debut in Jan. 2022. Dostál started strong last season, winning five of his first six games and allowing a total of 16 goals, and also played extensively toward the end of the season.
(Photo of John Gibson: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
