It was a strange development for the young goaltender, who hasn't played since suffering a concussion in that Ottawa game. After getting the teeth removed on Feb. 18, Gibson returned to practice today and says he feels a lot better than he did since the diagnosis, though he's still unsure why his since-removed wisdom teeth gave him issues at that specific time.
"For whatever reason, they got impacted," Gibson told reporters today after practice. "All my gums got infected. I don't really have an explanation, but I'm fortunate I got them out right away. Feeling good now."
Gibson says he didn't eat much in the five days that followed the procedure, resulting in some weight loss. He says he dropped about 10 pounds, but has since been able to regain his weight and strength. "I feel good out there, excited to be back," he said. "It's a weird thing. I don't know why it happened, but I needed them out. I was fortunate Dr. Grant was able to get all four of them out. It took a lot out of me."
It's been that kind of season for the Ducks, who have endured a plethora of injuries in a season that hasn't gone the way they'd hoped. Time away from the rink as he recovered from his injuries sustained from the game and subsequent surgery allowed him to reset his mind and body.
"I tried to use it as a mental break more than anything," he said. "It's been a tough year. Hate to say it, but maybe in some sense, it was nice to kind of have my mind off of it and off of everything that's been going on."
