New York Islanders: Christopher Gibson 2017-2018 Season Grade

Although it was a small one, New York Islanders backup goalie, Christopher Gibson played an important role in the 2017-2018 season.

When Thomas Greiss was put on the IR in mid-February, there was still hope for the New York Islanders season. Enter Christopher Gibson to save the day, stepping into the role of backup goalie behind the starter, Jaroslav Halak.

Fans had already seen some of what Gibson could do after his heroics in the 2015-2016 season when he started against Washington Capitals and put on a surprisingly good show. He led the team to victory that night, clinching a playoff berth.

This year, Gibson was given a larger role to play. Starting twice the amount of games he played in 2016, he was a sufficient stand-in for Thomas Greiss, possibly playing better than the German net minder at times.

The Real Issue Was Defense

While he only started in eight games, Gibson made an impact on the team and a good impression with fans. He had a number of impressive saves that could have sold me on him being placed as the Islanders permanent backup goalie.

His numbers don’t exactly reflect this sentiment. With a SV% of .908 and a GAA of 3.65, it would look as if Gibson was simply mediocre. However, with a defense as disappointing as the Islanders’, these goaltending statistics can get skewed. Instead, look to Gibson’s quality start percentage to tell the whole story.

Gibson QS% this season was .625, which is impressive. 5 out of his 8 starts qualify as “quality”, a truer testament to his performance than GAA or SV%.

Christopher Gibson was able to step in for the New York Islanders in a time of need. With the playoffs still potentially in sight, losing your backup goalie could be a huge blow to any team. Gibson performance serves as another sign that while the team had its problems between the pipes, the real cripple this season was defense.

Next: Islanders Still Look Bad After Wild Change Course

Considering the circumstances and the number of quality starts Gibson was able to give the team, I would give him a solid B grade for the 2017-2018 season.