Tuesday, 17. February 2026 |
Antoine Bibeau: “In the arena, I'm the goalie - at home, I'm just Dad”
Antoine, first of all: How are you, how was your break?
Antoine Bibeau: “I'm fine, the break was nice. I think it was important for everyone. We've played an extremely high number of games since Christmas and even before that, and we've had a lot of injuries. So it was good to just take a break from hockey and spend time with my family.”
How did you spend the break?
Bibeau: “We stayed at a family hotel in Germany. It was really nice. The kids loved it, and it was good for me to get away from everyday life for a bit. I think everyone is happy to be back, but as I said, this break was important.”
You have a newborn at home. How is fatherhood going – and how does that affect you as a player?
Bibeau: "It's going well. Of course, there's a bit more work, we don't sleep as much as we used to, but it's just great. My daughter is healthy, in a good mood, and my son is doing well too. It does change you. Before I had children, I sometimes took bad days on the ice a little more personally and was in a bad mood when I came home. Now I come home and the kids want to play with me. That has changed my perspective on hockey a little and made me more relaxed. No matter what I do on the ice, I come home and they are happy to see me."
Would you like your children to play ice hockey when they grow up?
Bibeau: “I would love that, but I'm not putting any pressure on them. Whether my son and daughter want to play hockey or another sport, I will always support them as long as they are happy. My son loves hockey at the moment and enjoys coming to the games. But what's important to me is that they follow their own path.”
How would you describe yourself off the ice?
Bibeau: "I think I'm pretty laid back. I like to have fun with the guys, but I'm not necessarily the most outgoing person. I also enjoy my alone time. At the rink, I'm the goalie—that's my job. But when I leave the ice and go home, it's important to leave hockey behind and really focus on spending time with my family and not thinking about hockey all the time. The season is long, and that can be very mentally exhausting.“
So what does a perfect day off look like for you?
Bibeau: ”Just spending time with my family, away from the ice, of course. We're on the ice every day, usually six days a week. So when we have a day off, it's really just about switching off and doing things you don't normally get the chance to do. In the summer, I like to play golf and be outdoors, but during the season, I don't do much on my days off. Most of the time, I just try to rest and recharge my batteries for the next day."
You play in a position that requires a lot of mental strength. How are you on game and training days?
Bibeau: "On game days, I'm maybe a little quieter, but at the same time pretty relaxed. Until 15 minutes before the game starts, I can talk to anyone about anything—it doesn't even have to be about hockey. I'm not the type of goalie who is totally lost in his thoughts before a game and retreats into his own world. I just do my thing. On training days and days off, I'm more extroverted and have a little more fun with the guys. I think that's important to take everything a little easier and have fun."
What role do you play in the team and with your friends?
Bibeau: "I would say I'm always there for the others, no matter what they need from me. Like I said, I'm not the most outgoing person in my group of friends or in the team, but I'm always willing to listen if there's a problem or anything else. I may not be the loudest, but I am present. And especially with our younger goalies, I try to take on a kind of mentoring role. I'm 31 and have played in many leagues, played many games. If Wolfi (Simon Wolf) or Bitsi (Matthias Bittner) need something from me or have questions, I do my best to help them. The same goes for Mathias - we're very close, we work really well together as a goalkeeping group."
You are described as a goalkeeper who reads the game very well. Can you explain what that means to someone with no field hockey knowledge?
Bibeau: "I think I can just predict what guys are going to do on the ice. I can quickly recognize who's a left-shooter and who's a right-shooter. I immediately understand where the threats are going to come from. Sometimes a player might be open, but I know based on the position of his hands or the position of our defensemen that I have more time to get there even if he gets the puck. Sometimes you know a certain play is coming, but you understand that player might not be a direct shooter - then you know you have more time. That comes with experience - and I've gained some of that over the years."
After Mathias Niederberger's injury, you were our main goalkeeper and played almost every game. You impressed with the best goals-against average, the second-best save percentage and two shutouts in a row. How did you personally experience this phase?
Bibeau: "It was a lot. I didn't expect it and felt sorry for Mathias. I know what it's like, I've had injuries like that too. I felt sorry for him, but at the same time the door opened for me to play some games. I started to play a game, two games, got into the swing of things - and it went really well. The team is playing well in front of me, which makes my job a lot easier. The fact that I've been able to play a lot of games, get into a rhythm, has helped me a lot. Especially when you play well and play a lot, it makes it a bit easier."
How do you deal with negative pressure - goals conceded, defeats?
Bibeau: "I put myself under the most pressure. The pressure from outside doesn't affect me that much because I'm very aware of when I've had a good or a bad game. I came into this year with the goal of not overthinking anything and having a 'one day at a time' mentality. I come to training, I want to train well and have fun. If it didn't go so well the day before, I don't dwell on it - it happens, the next day will be better. I don't concentrate on the results. I don't go into the game with the mindset that I have to win this game. I just have to do my job and give the team a chance."
Top Saves von Antoine Bibeau
// DEL - HIGHLIGHTS
Is there a particular game in your career that you still remember today?
Bibeau: “Of course, my first NHL game was very special. That's at the top of the list. And then I won the junior league cup and went to the Memorial Cup—that was also very special. Every time you have the chance to win a championship, it's something very special.”
Have you ever thought about what you would have done if hockey hadn't worked out?
Bibeau: "I have no idea (laughs). I've been asked that question before. I was a good student, but there was nothing that really interested me. I started playing professionally at 19. I've been playing since I was a kid and never really had the opportunity to think about anything else. One contract led to another, and now I'm 31 and still playing. Of course, I'm glad that hockey worked out for me."
Who supported you the most in your childhood to start playing hockey?
Bibeau: “I would say my parents. They made a lot of sacrifices so that I could play hockey in the first place. It wasn't always easy, but they were always there for me—whether things were going well or not. I can always talk to them.”
Do you have any particular idols or personalities that you've learned from?
Bibeau: “Maybe not many idols in the traditional sense, but I like to read sports biographies that inspire me. Tiger Woods, for example. In ice hockey, Patrick Roy was always my idol when I was growing up. He's from Quebec and had such a successful career in the NHL. I also enjoyed reading his book.”
What always makes you feel “at home,” and do you already have that here in Munich?
Bibeau: “I would say my family. No matter where we are, I think we're always at home. We feel very comfortable in Munich; we love it here. At first, I was here alone for a while, then my family joined me, and it's been great ever since. As a family, we can easily call this place our home.”
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