LeBrun: Gibson highlights rookies to watch

Pierre LeBrun was on TSN 1040 Monday afternoon.

On which rookie’s he’s exceptionally excited about watching and if Leon Draisaitil and Nik Ehlers are at the top of the list:

“Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think Sam Reinhart in Buffalo as well. I’m hearing a lot of great things about him. I think the Sabres will be careful with him.

“There are some young guys – you’re talking about this year’s Calder race – which includes a larger group of young players, Blake, than just last year’s June draft picks. But the guy that I’m just – and part of it is I covered the playoff series in which he made a splash – but I can’t wait to see how John Gibson does this year in Anaheim. I just feel that this guy is a franchise goalie in the making and it’s just going to be an incredible story if that’s the case in terms of that L.A.-Anaheim rivalry and where Cups are apparently going to be won every year for awhile. But I just think if Gibson can – and he’s got a healthy competition, by the way, with Frederik Andersen, who had a terrific year last year. So he’s not being handed anything. But if Gibson can answer the bell I think that’s going to be a sensational story for the Anaheim Ducks because that is the one place where they have gambled. I mean, Bob Murray has done a great job building this team back up. They’re a contender. They have depth everywhere. But where they have rolled the dice, where they don’t have any protection, is whether Gibson is ready or not, and whether Andersen has a sophomore slump. So they’ve gambled there in letting Jonas Hiller walk.”

On if he’s convinced Tampa Bay will put Jonathan Drouin in the lineup:

“I think they will this year. I mean, they haven’t decided that yet. I think they want to see how he responds in camp. I think everyone knows by now he just didn’t look ready for a pro camp a year ago. But I think they feel that if he has a strong preseason he’s got a very good chance.

“Now the thing about them, and this is always the problem for young players trying to crack really deep rosters, is Tampa is one of the better teams in the East. And so they’re not handing out jobs like they used to in Tampa. So he’s really going to have to earn it here over the next couple of weeks.”

Source: TSN 1040/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey