Anaheim Ducks: Is John Gibson a Contender for the Hart Trophy?

With the New Year just within reach, the halfway point of the NHL season is drawing near. Talk of Hart Trophy nominations are running rampant through the rumor mill, and John Gibson is at the top of the Anaheim Ducks list.

The Hart Trophy is, aside from the Stanley Cup, one of the most prestigious awards in the NHL. At the end of every season, the Hart Trophy is awarded to the player who is judged to be most valuable to his team. In their 25 seasons, the Anaheim Ducks have only had one player to win the nomination.

Corey Perry was awarded the Hart Trophy after the 2010-11 season. That same season, he won the Maurice Richard‘s trophy, more commonly known as the Rocket Richard, for leading the NHL in goals.

Since then, no one has won the Hart Trophy while wearing an Anaheim Ducks sweater. Nevertheless, in my opinion, that could all change this season. In just 30 games, John Gibson has proven why he is one of the most valuable NHL players and goaltenders currently in the league.

The Stats Speak for Themselves

Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens was the last NHL goaltender to win the Hart Trophy. In 2014-15, he maintained an outstanding .933% save percentage, won 44 games for Montreal, and his goals-against average was 1.96.

That same season, he won the Vezina, the William M. Jennings Trophy, and the Ted Lindsay Award. Unfortunately, Price and the Canadiens were knocked out of the playoffs in the second round against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Statistically speaking, John Gibson is one of the top five NHL goaltenders that most frequently start in net. He has the fifth highest save percentage among goalies, with an impressive .926%. However, his most impressive stat is goals saved above average, which currently sits at an outstanding 17.30 GSAA.

Out of all active NHL goaltenders, John Gibson has faced 959 shots in 30 games, only second to Craig Anderson who has faced 1070. Most goaltenders who are considered elite, have only faced between 700-850 shots against (with the exception of Frederik Andersen.)

Gibson’s performance this season should put him in the running for the Vezina, there is no doubt about it. However, what makes him the perfect candidate for the Hart Trophy?

Why John Gibson is the Perfect Candidate for the Hart Trophy

What does this point to? Why do these statistics have anything to do with him being awarded the Hart Trophy? These statistics point to a big problem with his team. The Anaheim Ducks have struggled defensively this season. They can’t seem to keep the puck out of their own zone.

There are nights where it finally seems as though it has clicked, and then they go right back to allowing John Gibson to face an absurd amount of goals per game. So, if the Anaheim Ducks are struggling, why are they third in the Pacific Divison?

Well, I’m glad you asked. That answer is simple. John Gibson is the reason they are where they are. Well, with a little bit of Ryan Getzlaf mixed into the equation. Night after night, If John Gibson wasn’t standing on his head for his team, the Anaheim Ducks would look a lot different this season.

John Gibson also seems to be a natural born leader. Although he doesn’t have an official “leadership role” with the Anaheim Ducks, he has been the only person on the team that has stepped up and gone above and beyond for his teammates.

His ability to practice patience in the midst of his team’s struggles is admirable. The fact that he is always striving to be a better goaltender is inspiring. He refuses to be stagnant and to be quite honest, I didn’t think he would get any better than he was last season.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. I admire John Gibson, and I would even if he wasn’t a part of the Anaheim Ducks organization. If his performance thus far does not prove that he is the player who has been most valuable to his team, I don’t know what does.

But Does He Really Have a Chance?

To be quite honest, the fact that John Gibson plays for the Anaheim Ducks limits his chances of winning this prestigious award. Now, I’m not knocking the Ducks, but I think we can all agree that West Coast teams, especially those in the Pacific Divison, don’t receive as much praise or acclamation as East Coast teams.

More from Ducks News

• Who could the Anaheim Ducks consider presenting offer sheets to?
• Is Pierre-Luc Dubois on the cards for the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks?
• Making the case for the Anaheim Ducks to trade with the Edmonton Oilers
• Anaheim Ducks might benefit tremendously by trading John Gibson
• How close are the Anaheim Ducks to becoming contenders again?

Like I mentioned, the first and last player on the Anaheim Ducks to win the Hart Trophy was Corey Perry. No player before or after him, dressed in a Ducks sweater has won that award. In fact, the last player to win the Hart from the Pacific Divison was Connor McDavid, and I don’t really need to explain that. He’s like a superhuman on skates.

However, if the NHL were just to glance to the Pacific, they’d be blown away by the masked man between the pipes in Anaheim. We’ve seen it already this season. People are finally starting to notice just how phenomenal of a goaltender he is.

What makes John Gibson even more admirable is that he has signed away basically his entire hockey career to the Anaheim Ducks. He will be here for the foreseeable future. This means he is giving up NHL “fame and glory” for the love of his team. That right there is a true MVP.

Who do you think will win the Hart Trophy this season? Let us know by leaving a comment below!