Ducks Season Preview: Between the Pipes

Amidst a season of changes for the Ducks a year ago, one constant was the men between the pipes - veteran John Gibson and rookie Lukas Dostal. Despite an early injury to Gibson, the duo returns for another year in Orange County this fall as our season preview shifts to the crease.

John Gibson

2023-24: 13-27-2 in 44 starts, 3.54 goals against average (GAA), .888 save percentage (SV%)

One of the most decorated goaltenders in Ducks history, Gibson continues to move up the club's all-time leaderboards, now topping the list in career saves (13,294) and appearances (477).

Entering his 11th NHL season, all spent as a Duck, Gibson has been one of the league's most tested netminders over the past few years but an improved Anaheim defensive corps in 2024-25 could help limit his workload.

A durable starter throughout his NHL career, with 50-plus starts for Anaheim in five of the last six full 82-game seasons, Gibson will begin the year sidelined after undergoing emergency appendectomy surgery in late September. He's expected to miss 3-6 weeks.

Lukas Dostal

2023-24: 14-23-23 in 38 starts, 3.33 GAA, .902 SV%, 1 shutout

A 2018 third-round pick, Dostal has continued his steady growth in each of his professional seasons, last year maintaining a .902 save percentage amidst a big jump in ice-time. The 24-year-old led all NHL rookies in saves (1,181), while finishing second in appearances (44), third in starts and fourth in wins. He also set Ducks rookie goaltender records for games played, saves, starts and shots faced.

Dostal's signature moment of the season though was a brilliant performance on March 1 against New Jersey, when he stopped 52-of-55 Devils shots and denied star center Jack Hughes on a penalty shot with 2.1 seconds left in regulation - preserving a 4-3 Ducks win.

"He's an extremely well prepared athlete," head coach Greg Cronin said. "He does everything right in terms of his preparation, his visualization and his off-ice conditioning. He's a consummate pro. He's a very humble kid, but he's also very confident. I expect him to play well. I don't see any issues with him in terms of building on what he did last year."

With Gibson out, Cronin and the Ducks will lean on Dostal early in the season - an opportunity for the Czech native to show his ability to handle a starter's workload in the NHL.

Dostal, alongside Ducks captain Radko Gudas, led Czechia to gold at the 2024 World Championship this summer on home soil, pitching a 2-0 shutout in the gold medal game.

"His record speaks for itself," Gudas said that night. "He's been terrific. He stepped into the NHL last year and he didn't look back. He's a man in the right place. For the age he's at, he's so calm. He gives us confidence to be able to play and make those plays in front of him. It's an unbelievable feeling to have him as a teammate in Anaheim, and it's awesome to be together as world champions."

James Reimer

2023-24: 11-8-2 in 20 starts, 3.11 GAA, .904 SV%, 2 shutouts

With Gibson's return time still up in the air, the Ducks elected to secure a veteran backup via the waiver wire Monday in journeyman James Reimer. The 36-year-old has appeared in 501 career NHL games across 14 seasons, posting a 215-177-63 record with Detroit, San Jose, Carolina, Florida and Toronto.

Reimer spent the 2023-24 campaign in Detroit, producing a 11-8-2 record and two shutouts in 20 starts.

Among active NHL goaltenders, Reimer’s 215 wins rank 10th while his 30 shutouts rank ninth. He'll begin the season as Dostal's backup and could see early action with a couple of back-to-backs on the schedule in October.

Calle Clang

2023-24: 10-16-4 in 32 games played (AHL), 3.21 GAA, .897 SV%

Acquired from the Penguins at the 2022 trade deadline in the deal that sent Rickard Rakell to Pittsburgh, Clang played his first full season in North America last year, with a combined 34 appearances between the AHL and ECHL. With Anaheim claiming Reimer on waivers Monday, Clang will likely head to San Diego and compete with Dansk and 2022 sixth-round pick Vyascheslav Buteyets for ice-time.

A former third-round pick, Clang skated in two preseason games (61:54 total ice-time), posting a 3.88 GAA and .852 SV%.

The Olofstrom, Sweden native owned a career 22-15-0 record with two shutouts, a 2.52 GAA and .906 SV% in 43 games for Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League.

Oscar Dansk

2023-24: 11-12-3 in 27 games played (AHL), 3.22 GAA, .897 SV%

Dansk joined the Ducks in September on a one-year, two-way deal after the season-ending injury to Tomas Suchanek and Sunday was assigned to AHL San Diego.

The 30-year-old Dansk is well-traveled in his professional career, with six NHL games on his resume and a 90-50-28 mark in 171 career AHL appearances.

Originally selected by Columbus in the second round (31st overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Dansk combined for a 19-18-5 record with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) the past two seasons. He was named the club’s recipient of the AHL Man of the Year Award each of his two seasons for his outstanding contributions to the Calgary community.

Dansk has appeared in two preseason games (89:17 total ice-time) with a 3.36 GAA and .857 SV%.