Mike Gibbons (ice hockey)

Mike Gibbons (born April 9, 1955) is an American ice hockey coach. After 40+ years in coaching, Mike Gibbons retired after the 2020 season with the St. Cloud State Huskies men's ice hockey team.[1] Following the COVID-shortened 20–21 season, Gibbons returned to his alma mater as an assistant for the first time in 38 years.[2]

Mike Gibbons
Biographical details
Born (1955-04-09) April 9, 1955 (age 69)
White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Alma materBemidji State University
Playing career
1970–1971Hill-Murray
1974–1975Austin Mavericks
1975–1979Bemidji State
1979–1980Richmond Rifles
1979–1981Hampton Aces
Position(s)Defense
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1981–1982Bemidji State (assistant)
1982–1983Bemidji State
1983–1988Northern Michigan (assistant)
1988–1990Colorado College (assistant)
1990–1994Denver (assistant)
1994–1995Langley Thunder
1995–1997Baltimore Bandits (assistant)
1997–2007Eastview High School
2005–2006USA National Junior Team (assistant)
2007–2020St. Cloud State (assistant)
2021–2023Bemidji State (assistant)
Head coaching record
Overall30–6–1 (.824) [college]
199–147–15 (.572)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1979 NAIA National Champion
2013 WCHA Regular Season Champion
2014 NCHC Regular Season Champion
2016 NCHC Tournament Champion
2018 NCHC Regular Season Champion
2019 NCHC Regular Season Champion
Awards
1979 NAIA All American
1983 Edward Jeremiah Award
2016 Terry Flanagan Award (Division I Assistant Coach of the Year)

Career

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Gibbons is a graduate of Bemidji State University, where he was played for the Beavers men's hockey team from 1975 to 1979. He gained All-America notice in 1978 and 1979 and was a member of the national title-winning team in 1979. He started his coaching career at Bemidji State as an assistant in 1981. Gibbons then served as the BSU head coach during the 1982–83 season, while previous head coach Bob Peters took a year-long sabbatical. During this time he was named the NHCA Conference Coach of the Year and the College Division National Coach of the Year.

Gibbons moved to Northern Michigan University in 1983, and served as an assistant coach with the Wildcats’ hockey program until 1988. He went on to serve as an assistant coach at Colorado College (1988 to 1990) and the University of Denver (1990 to 1994). In 1993, he was a co-coach with Scott Owens for the USA Select Team. After leaving Denver, Gibbons worked for one year as the head coach for the Langley Thunder in the BCJHL.

From 1995 to 1997, Gibbons was an assistant coach with the Baltimore Bandits, the Anaheim Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate. While at Baltimore, Gibbons coached NHL Stanley Cup winner Matt Cullen. Incidentally, Cullen played collegiate hockey at St. Cloud State, where Gibbons has coached since 2007.

After this time, Gibbons returned to Minnesota to become head coach of the boys' hockey program at Eastview High School, which had opened in the summer of 1997. During ten seasons at Eastview, Gibbons earned Minnesota State High School League Section 5 Coach of the Year honors in 2001, 2003 and 2004.

In 2006, Gibbons served as an assistant coach to Northern Michigan Wildcats men's hockey coach Walt Kyle for the USA Junior National Team, placing fourth at the World Junior Tournament in Vancouver, B.C.

In the summer of 2007, Gibbons was hired as an assistant for the St. Cloud State men's hockey team, where he recruited future NHL players Oliver Lauridson, Ben Hanowski, Nick Jensen, and Nick Dowd, and helped coach St. Cloud to NCAA tournament berths in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019.[1] While at St. Cloud State, the American Hockey Coaches Association named Gibbons the recipient of the 2016 Terry Flanagan Award, which recognizes career achievement as an assistant hockey coach.

Personal life

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Gibbons is a native of White Bear Lake, Minnesota and a graduate of Hill-Murray School. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Business as well as his Master's degree in Education from Bemidji State University. He and his wife Nancy reside in St. Cloud, Minnesota and have three children, Sean, Kelly, and Shannon. His grandfather, middleweight boxer Mike Gibbons, is regarded as one of the best boxers of all time,[3] while his grandfather's brother Tommy Gibbons was also a renowned heavyweight boxer.[3]

Awards

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  • 1979 NAIA All American
  • 1983 Edward Jeremiah Award (Division III Coach of the Year)
  • 2016 Terry Flanagan Award (Division I Assistant Coach of the Year)

Coaching record

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High School[4]

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Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T OTL Pts Finish Result
Eastview 1997–1998 22 6 16 0 0 12 4th Section Quarterfinals
Eastview 1998–1999 23 9 14 0 0 18 5th Section Quarterfinals
Eastview 1999–2000 25 12 12 1 0 25 2nd Section Semifinals
Eastview 2000–2001 31 20 10 1 0 41 1st State Consolation Champions
Eastview 2001–2002 27 22 5 0 0 44 4th Section Semifinals
Eastview 2002–2003 28 16 8 4 0 36 2nd Section Finals
Eastview 2003–2004 28 14 12 2 0 30 3rd Section Finals
Eastview 2004–2005 27 8 17 2 0 18 7th Section Semifinals
Eastview 2005–2006 27 13 13 1 0 27 4th Section Semifinals
Eastview 2006–2007 26 11 13 2 0 24 6th Section Quarterfinals
Totals 264 131 120 13 0 275

Amateur[5]

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Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T OTL Pts Finish Result
Langley Thunder 1994–1995 60 38 21 1 0 77 2nd in Mainland Conference BCJHL Quarterfinals
USA U-20 National Team 2005–2006 7 3 3 1 0 7 4th Place Bronze Medal Game
Totals 67 41 24 2 0 84

Professional[5]

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Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L T OTL Pts Finish Result
Baltimore Bandits 1995–1996 80 33 36 9 2 77 3rd in South South Division Finals
Baltimore Bandits 1996–1997 80 30 37 10 3 73 4th in Mid-Atlantic Mid-Atlantic Division Semifinals
Totals 163 64 80 0 19 147
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Bemidji State Beavers (NHCA) (1982–1983)
1982–83 Bemidji State 30–6–1 16–3–1 1st NCAA Runner-Up
Bemidji: 30–6–1 16–3–1
Total: 30–6–1 (.824)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ a b "Mike Gibbons Bio". SCSU Huskies.com. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
  2. ^ "Mike Gibbons". Bemidji State Beavers. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Mike Gibbons boxing record". Box Rec.com. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
  4. ^ "Mike Gibbons". Elite Hockey Prospects. Retrieved 2016-08-07.
  5. ^ a b "Mike Gibbons". Hockey DB. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  6. ^ "Bemidji State Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). Bemidji State Beavers. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
  7. ^ "Northern Michigan Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). Northern Michigan Wildcats. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  8. ^ "Colorado College Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). Colorado College Tigers. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  9. ^ "Denver Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). Denver University Pioneers. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  10. ^ "St. Cloud State University Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). SCSU Huskies. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Edward Jeremiah Award
1982–83 (with)Peter Van Buskirk
Succeeded by