Christopher Gibson

History

2008-09: Christopher Gibson moved to Canada from Finland and played for the Notre Dame Hounds Midget AAA team. In 18 games, he posted a 2.63 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage. Gibson was chosen in the first round,m 16th overall, of the 2009 CHL Import Draft by the QMJHL’s Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

2009-10: In his QMJHL rookie season, Gibson played in 29 games for the Sagueneens. He posted a 3.50 goals-against average, a .884 save percentage, and a 8-19-0 record. In 4 playoff games, Gibson posted a 3.39 goals-against average and a .871 save percentage. Gibson played for Finland at the 2010 U-18 World Junior Championship but did not appear in any games.

2010-11: In 37 games for the Sagueneens, Gibson compiled a 2.42 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage, and a 14-15-8 record. In 4 playoff games, he turned in a 5.20 goals-against average and a .865 save percentage. Gibson was named to the QMJHL’s First All-Star Team. Gibson played for Team Cherry at the 2011 CHL Home Hardware Top Prospects Game, giving up 3 goals in a 7-1 loss to Team Orr. Gibson was chosen in the second round, 49th overall, of the 2011 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings.

2011-12: Gibson appeared in a career-high 48 games for Chicoutimi in his third QMJHL season and played for Finland in the 2012 U20 World Junior Championship. He was 27-17-4 with 3 shutouts and had a 2.97 goals against and .893 save percentage for the Sagueneens. Chicoutimi finished fifth in the East Division but then advanced to the playoff semifinals. Gibson was 9-9 with 1 shutout in 18 playoff games and had a 3.12 goals against and .903 save percentage. Gibson was 1-1 in two games for fourth-place Finland at the WJC and had a 4.50 goals against and .866 save percentage.

2012-13: Gibson played in 41 games for Chicoutimi in his fourth QMJHL season. He was 17-18-4 with 4 shutouts and had a 3.08 goals against and .902 save percentage. The Sagueneens finished fifth in the East Division and lost to Quebec in a first round playoff series. Gibson appeared in all six playoff games and was 2-3 with a 3.87 goals against and .898 save percentage. He became an unrestricted free agent in June of 2013 after he was not signed by the Los Angeles Kings and instead signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Toronto in July of 2013.

2013-14: Gibson split his first pro season between the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate Marlies and the ECHL. He played 12 games for the Marlies as a backup to veteran Drew MacIntyre and was 5-6 with a 2.44 goals against and .916 save percentage. Gibson played 20 games for the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears and was 8-9-2 with a 3.16 goals against and .892 save percentage. The Solar Bears finished second in the South Division and lost to eventual Eastern Conference champion Cincinnati in a six-game first round series. Gibson was 1-1 with a 1.94 goals against and .951 save percentage in two playoff games. 

2014-15: Gibson handled the bulk of the goaltending duties for Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate Toronto in his second pro season. In 45 regular season games he was 24-17-0 with two shutouts and had a 2.42 goals against and .921 save percentage. The Marlies finished second in the North Division, falling to Grand Rapids in a first-round series. Gibson was 2-2 with a 3.90 goals against and .866 save percentage in four playoff games. 

Talent Analysis

Gibson is a strong positional goaltender who works to find the puck and plays his angles well. Technically solid and aggressive in his crease, he moves well in anticipating plays and potential shots. He has a strong glove hand and controls rebounds well.

Future

Gibson was traded along with four other prospects by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the New York Islanders in exchange for Michael Grabner in September 2015. He was briefly re-called by the Islanders at the end of December, making his NHL debut in a relief appearance in a January 2nd game against Pittsburgh before being returned to the AHL. With Jean-Francois Berube spending time with the Islanders, Gibson and Stephon Williams have combined to give the Bridgeport Sound Tigers steady goaltending on most nights. Now in the third year of his original entry-level contract, Gibson could be caught in a numbers game in an Islanders organization that is deep at the position — both at the NHL level and with highly-regarded Ilya Sorokin in the KHL. He continues to develop but may need to head elsewhere for an NHL opportunity.