Head Coach Todd McLellan Says John Gibson Not Ready to Play With Detroit Red Wings Against Vegas

The push for the playoffs is getting hotter by the day in the Atlantic Division. However, the Red Wings are left without their primary goalie ahead of their clash with Vegas tonight. John Gibson is out of action with a day-to-day injury sustained last game against the Predators.

Without him between the pipes, Detroit will have a rough time defending against the Golden Knights. While head coach Todd McLellan quickly reassured the fans that Gibson has made some progress, he isn’t ready for a comeback. For a desperate Red Wings side, this is a massive blow.

John Gibson Feeling Better But Not Ready

Gibson left the Predators game after the first period, having allowed one goal on 11 shots before exiting with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. Cam Talbot relieved him and stopped 18 of 19 shots in Detroit's 4-2 victory.

McLellan addressed Gibson's status during his pregame media availability, and while the news could have been worse, it's still not what the Red Wings wanted to hear. "Gibson did skate today," McLellan said Wednesday. "He's feeling much better than he did the other day, but not quite ready to go in this game."

That means Talbot will get the start against Vegas, with Sebastian Cossa recalled from Grand Rapids of the AHL under emergency conditions to serve as the backup goaltender. The timing of Gibson's injury couldn't be worse for Detroit.

The Red Wings currently hold the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, sitting fourth in the Atlantic Division as they fight to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Gibson has been spectacular since early December, posting a 19-5-1 record with a 2.08 goals-against average and .925 save percentage over his last 26 games.

He's recorded four shutouts during that stretch and has been the biggest reason Detroit is in a playoff position. Overall this season, Gibson is 23-12-2 with a 2.57 GAA, a .906 save percentage, and four shutouts in 39 games.

Those numbers represent a massive turnaround from his rough start after being acquired from the Anaheim Ducks last summer. The Red Wings enter March in a familiar position, holding a playoff spot with roughly 20 games remaining.

But March has been cruel to Detroit the past two seasons, with late collapses costing them playoff berths both years. Now with Gibson sidelined, things are looking similar to their earlier collapses in previous seasons due to goaltending struggles.

Talbot will be manning the nets in the meantime. However, with a 12-8-4 record and a less-than-desirable GAA of 3.04 with a .892 SV%, fans hope that their primary goalie returns to the ice and helps them end their playoff drought.


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