The Toronto Maple Leafs were impressed enough by the performance of 2013 draft pick Antoine Bibeau at the recent Memorial Cup that the club locked up the young goaltender to a three-year, entry level deal on Tuesday.
According to a press release from the Leafs website:
The 20-year-old Bibeau was named the Outstanding Goaltender of the Memorial Cup held in London, ON and was also selected to the tournament’s All-Star Team.
In four games at the Memorial Cup with the QMJHL’s Val-d’Or Foreurs he made 178 saves with a 2.76 goals against average, a .932 save percentage and one shutout.
In the QMJHL playoffs, Bibeau became the first goaltender since Jonathan Bernier in 2007 to be awarded the Guy Lafleuc.f.r trophy as the playoff’s Most Valuable Player as he backstopped Val-d’Or to a QMJHL President’s Cup championship. Overall in the playoffs, the 6-2, 210-pound goaltender registered 16 wins and eight losses with a 2.80 goals against average, a .913 save percentage and one shutout.
Bibeau split the 2013-14 QMJHL regular season between Val-d’Or and Charlottetown. He compiled a record of 21-18-6, a 3.17 goals against average, a .907 save percentage and two shutouts in 48 games played. Since 2010-11, he played in 126 QMJHL games for Val-d’Or, Charlottetown/PEI and Lewiston.
The native of Victoriaville, Quebec, was originally selected by the Maple Leafs in the sixth round, 172nd overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
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The Calder Cup Western Conference Final will be decided this evening at the Cedar Park Center just outside Austin, TX, as the Toronto Marlies forced a Game 7 with a 3-1 victory on Monday night.
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