Ducks’ Gibson has appendectomy, out 3-6 weeks

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson will miss three to six weeks following an appendectomy, the team announced Thursday.

Gibson had the procedure Wednesday night. He had been a participant throughout Anaheim’s first week of training camp but did not appear in any of its preseason games.

Anaheim’s regular-season opener is scheduled for Oct. 12 against the San Jose Sharks. Depending on how long Gibson’s recovery takes, he may not be available to dress then, putting Lukas Dostal on track to be the Ducks’ starting netminder.

That may have been the case regardless of Gibson’s health status. Dostal, 24, outperformed Gibson last season, posting a .902 SV% and 3.33 GAA behind a Ducks’ defense that ranked 30th in the league. Anaheim’s blue-line woes have contributed to Gibson’s struggles the past two seasons, during which he has produced a career-low .888 SV% (in 2023-24) and worst-ever 3.99 GAA (in 2022-23).

Those difficulties have put Gibson squarely in the thick of trade rumors. The 31-year-old’s contract status — he has three years remaining at a $6.4 million cap hit — along with his declining play though could make finding a suitor difficult.

For now, Anaheim will have to lock in on Dostal to carry the load. Dostal debuted for the Ducks in 2022 after they selected him in the third round of the 2020 NHL draft. He not only excelled under the circumstances last year for Anaheim but was excellent for Czechia at the 2024 IIHF World Championships, leading them to a gold medal while being named the tournament’s top goaltender.