The rumor roundup continues on Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson and whether he will be on the team by the season opener.
With the Anaheim Ducks rebuilding for the past two years, John Gibson's future with the club has been the subject of ongoing speculation. Trade rumors increased last month following a report that the 29-year-old goaltender met with management to discuss moving on to another club.
Gibson appeared to be forcing the issue following a recent report that said the netminder asked for a trade, informing the club he wouldn't play another game with them.
That report was disputed by Gibson's agent Kurt Overhardt. He released a statement on his client's behalf calling the comments false.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman weighed in on the situation on Monday during the season-ending episode of his 32 Thoughts podcast. He said Gibson wants a trade, and the Ducks hope to accommodate him, but it's become a difficult process.
Gibson's contract is the biggest obstacle in the path toward a trade. He carries an annual average value of $6.4 million through 2026-27 with a 10-team no-trade clause, according to PuckPedia.
Finding a trade destination for Gibson was difficult enough, considering a large number of NHL clubs had limited cap space for 2023-24 before the free-agent market opened on Saturday. It'll be even tougher with many teams having used up much of their cap room since July 1 by signing free agents or re-signing their own talent.