Pucks of a Feather
Fansided

Anaheim Ducks: To Draft or Not To Draft

By Lawrence Hegner

Mar 22, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Lucas Lessio (53) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson (36) during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Lucas Lessio (53) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson (36) during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

With Frederick Andersen gone and key free agents still unsigned, what does Murray have planned for the draft?

Let’s face the music and commit to John Gibson being the top goalie in net for the Anaheim Ducks next season. I have made no qualms about my feeling towards Gibson, He will be a solid goaltender one day but that day is not today.  So how will the hole that is goal tending be addressed?

I ask that honestly, because I don’t have the answer. With a free agent list as long as my arm still unsigned, having only one goalie now seems to shift the focus a little. The key free agents in my opinion are Rakell, Lindholm, Horcoff, Santorelli, and McGinn. If we can resign those five we can fill the holes that are left. I realize I left Chris Stewart off the list, but McGinn I think fills the big body with good movement roll pretty nicely.

"“John Gibson is not getting traded … put that f*****g out there” Bob Murray"

Back to the goalie situation. We all remember last off season when Murray emphatically stated Gibson was his guy. Now that it is proven fact Gibson is number one between the pipes what are the options for number two?

More from Pucks of a Feather

There are three in San Diego and one of them has NHL experience, which would be Dustin Tokarski who unfortunately is also a free agent. So the question is, does Bob Murray bring up a prospect and/or offer Tokaeski a contract, use one of the many draft pick at his disposal to draft an up and comer, or does he wade into free agency and see what he can get?

We will know at least part of the answer this Friday at the draft in Buffalo. But questions will still be asked and the decision to trade Freddie will be second guessed until either Gibson proves himself over the long term to be the goalie that so many think he is, or he is replaced by a goalie that can do the job.

Home/Draft