Buffalo Sabres Possible Goaltending Options: John Gibson

The Buffalo Sabres lost their newest starting goaltender Robin Lehner in his first ever game, and since have been relying on the services of backup Chad Johnson. Johnson thus far is 1-3 with the Buffalo Sabres and this numbers are not promising enough for the new season mentality. It has been rumored that the Sabres have been shopping around for a goaltender, but GM Tim Murray has stated that he plans to let Johnson prove what he can do before he explores a signing or trade option. Should Murray lose faith in Johnson and explore a trade, a viable candidate would be Ducks prospect John Gibson.

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John Gibson is regarded almost league wide as the top goaltending prospect in the league. After showing signs of skill and brilliance through two stints with the Anaheim Ducks, Gibson was assumed to be the future starting goaltender there. A surprise move was made in the summer as the Ducks acquired Anton Khudobin from the Carolina Hurricanes. This move cluttered the Ducks crease with Frederik Andersen being the starter and Khudobin and Gibson fighting for the role right behind him. Gibson seemed to have lost that battle and was sent down to the AHL.

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This could make Gibson a highly sought after target for the Buffalo Sabres. At the young age of 22, Gibson has shown flashes of NHL skill and desires a real chance at a starting role. Andersen is only 26 years old and is a proven starting goaltender, and it would be tough to take his job from him. Gibson knows the skills that he has and he would be a key piece in the Sabres final rebuilding stretch.

Should Tim Murray lose faith in Johnson’s ability to keep pucks out of the net, John Gibson would be a premier target for him. With the Ducks undervaluing their star prospect by letting him play in the AHL when he is obviously NHL ready, the Buffalo Sabres could make a splash once again this year in the trade market and steal him away.

The only real issue could be the asking price for him. Though he is in the AHL, his talent and prowess make his trade value higher than it seems. For the Sabres to acquire him from the Ducks, they would need to give up a goaltender in return for the Ducks’ AHL team and most likely a set of draft picks.

Though I am well aware of Tim Murray’s obsession and value of draft picks, this is a possible trade option that would not only solve the goaltending issue currently at hand, but the long term issue as well. Robin Lehner is hurt yet again, and the more a goaltender gets hurt, the more likely it is to happen again. Gibson is an NHL caliber goaltender with much of his career still ahead of him. The Ducks are riding Andersen and Khudobin for this season so if the move is to be made, it should be made sooner rather than later.

What do you guys think?

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