THN.com/podcast. From THN On The 'Dub': Trade Deadline, Ducks Prospects and Canada Winter Games John Gibson [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk4NjgzMzI2ODU1MjU5OTEx/usatsi_20170273.jpg] John Gibson The Anaheim Ducks' rebuilding program has made John Gibson the subject of frequent trade speculation during the regular season. Those rumors about the 29-year-old goaltender's future have increased [https://thehockeynews.com/news/would-john-gibson-be-a-fit-with-the-senators-or-penguins] over the past two weeks. Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli [https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/jets-pierre-luc-dubois-rockets-to-no-1-on-latest-trade-targets-board] has Gibson sitting ninth on his list of this summer's top trade targets. He reported that the longtime Ducks netminder was available last summer, but the asking price was high. Meanwhile, Lisa Dillman of The Orange County Register [https://www.ocregister.com/2023/06/02/has-john-gibson-played-his-final-game-with-the-ducks/] reported it is believed Gibson met last month with Ducks GM Pat Verbeek to discuss moving on to another team. Gibson's contract could be a sticking point. He's signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.4 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. His statistics have also suffered over the last two seasons backstopping a depleted Ducks roster. Still, Gibson's stats could improve on a better roster. He might draw interest from contenders seeking an experienced starter with cost certainty for the next several years. On June 10, The Athletic [https://theathletic.com/4598100/2023/06/10/nhl-offseason-trade-board-jets-maple-leafs-flyers/?source=emp_shared_article] speculated that Gibson's preferred trade destinations are the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings. He might also prefer joining a rising club like the New Jersey Devils or Buffalo Sabres. It's unlikely Verbeek would trade Gibson to a nearby rival like the Kings. As for the Golden Knights, CapFriendly [https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/goldenknights] indicates they lack the cap space to absorb his contract. Buffalo and New Jersey have the cap room and depth in promising assets to tempt the Ducks. However, the Devils might not have a lot of cap dollars left once they re-sign wingers Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt. The Sabres, meanwhile, must also decide what to do with promising netminders Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
