Ducks' Gibson expected to miss 3-6 weeks after appendectomy

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson is expected to miss three-to-six weeks after undergoing an emergency appendectomy on Wednesday night, the team announced Thursday.

The Ducks officially open their campaign Oct. 12 against the San Jose Sharks, meaning Gibson will likely miss the start of the regular season.

Though Gibson has not participated in a preseason game, he has been at training camp.

Gibson appeared in 46 contests for the rebuilding Ducks last season, logging a 13-27-2 record to go along with an .888 save percentage and 3.54 goals against average.

With Anaheim falling short of the playoff picture for the last six years, Gibson has seen his name surface in plenty of trade rumors. He has three years remaining on his current pact with a $6.4-million cap hit, and his deal features a 10-team no-trade list, according to PuckPedia.

Gibson and Lukas Dostal shared the starting duties in 2023-24. Dostal, 24, posted a .902 clip, 3.33 goals against average, and 14 wins in a career-high 38 starts this past campaign.

Dostal also starred for Czechia at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, going 6-2 with a .939 save percentage and 1.58 goals against average to help the country win its first gold medal at the tournament since 2010.

The Ducks selected Gibson in the second round of the 2011 NHL Draft. He's appeared in 477 contests with the club, registering a career .910 save percentage and 193-206-61 record over 11 seasons.

The 31-year-old has appeared on the Vezina Trophy voting ballot twice - a seventh-place finish in 2016 and a 10th-place finish in 2019.