Given that John Gibson had to exit Wednesday’s ugly loss to Toronto and, on Thursday, the Ducks made a trade to get a goalie, it’s fair that some were concerned about Gibson’s long-term health.
But according to Bruce Boudeau, there’s nothing to worry about.
The Anaheim head coach gave his starter a clean bill of healthy on Thursday, just minutes after Gibson was back at practice, participating with his teammates:
BB said Gibson is, and to quote, "100 percent", adding that he's not ruling him out of starting Friday against St. Louis.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) January 7, 2016
Named an NHL All-Star for the first time earlier this week, Gibson is a guy the Ducks simply cannot afford to lose. Yes, Frederik Andersen is a capable starter and yes, the team does play well defensively -- but there’s no denying impact Gibson’s had on the team since coming up from AHL San Diego.
Gibson is 8-5-2 with a 1.75 GAA and .929 save percentage since his recall, helping Anaheim force itself back into the playoff picture in the lowly Pacific Division.
Boudreau, who recognizes the need for wins right now, even went so far as to say he’s not ruling out Gibson for Friday’s game against St. Louis.