John Gibson is now The Guy in goal for the Anaheim Ducks. There is no disputing it.
Frederik Andersen is now with the Toronto Maple Leafs following Monday’s trade that saw Toronto’s second first-round pick in this year’s draft and a second-round pick next year head back to Anaheim as part of the deal.
Andersen was a pending restricted free agent, but signed a five-year deal with the Maple Leafs shortly after the trade broke.
The Ducks’ goalie conundrum is over.
“There’s no animosity between the two of them. They both want the net, and both didn’t want the other guy around, but not for personal reasons. We just knew we were getting to that point. I think I said that at the end of last year,” Ducks GM Bob Murray told reporters, adding possible expansion rules would’ve also kept the organization from keeping both Andersen and Gibson.
“We were going to get to a point where one of them wanted to go. One of them had to go. It was coming to this regardless. All during the year, you get Gibby signed, and you’re talking a little bit to Freddie. And then there were injuries involved.”
As for a back-up to Gibson, Murray said the Ducks will be in search of a veteran goalie, one capable of taking on a substantial work load during the season.
“We’ll have to do our homework. A veteran guy that can handle a bunch of games,” said Murray.
“We don’t want to overplay John, yet. He’ll have to be able to play 25 to 30 games. Character and hard-working type of guy. There are a few of them out there.”