Could the New Jersey Devils Pursue John Gibson?

The New Jersey Devils had a respectable goalie tandem this past season, but could they try to upgrade by acquiring John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks?

The rumor mill was briefly abuzz last week over John Gibson's future with the Anaheim Ducks following a report claiming he demanded a trade and wouldn't play for them again. That sparked a quick denial from his agent, but it still prompted speculation over potential trade destinations for the 29-year-old goaltender.

John Matisz of The Score suggested the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres as obvious choices. Both clubs lack experienced, reliable NHL starters, with the Devils deploying Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid while the Sabres carry Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Devon Levi and Eric Comrie.

According to the New York Post's Larry Brooks, the Devils are “sniffing around” Gibson. They're believed to be weighing whether the Vanecek-Schmid tandem can carry them to the Stanley Cup in a division featuring goalies like the New York Rangers' Igor Shesterkin and the New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin.

Gibson carries an average annual value of $6.4 million through 2026-27 with a 10-team no-trade clause, according to PuckPedia. The Devils, meanwhile, have more than $4.6 million in projected salary cap space for 2023-24.

The Devils must shed some cap space to make room for Gibson's cap hit. They could offer up Vanecek to the Ducks as part of the return. He lacks no-trade protection and carries a $3.4-million cap hit through 2024-25. The Devils could also try to convince the Ducks to retain a healthy chunk of Gibson's salary. 

Matisz also suggested the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings as dark-horse destinations for Gibson. However, his no-trade clause could complicate that if he's unwilling to go to Columbus, while the Ducks could be reluctant to send him to a close rival like the Kings.