Friday, 07. November 2025 |
Portrait of EHC Red Bull München goalie Antoine Bibeau
Antoine Bibeau showed what sets him apart in his very first appearance in a Munich jersey on October 19. With stoic calm and composure, our goalie secured a 2-1 home win against the Dresdner Eislöwen. “I'm definitely not a showman,” he confirms. "I think I'm more of a calm presence in goal. I also think I'm pretty good at reading the game,“ says Bibeau, assessing his own goalkeeping style.
And there's something else that's immediately obvious: his height of 1.91 meters. That means he covers a large part of the goal anyway. ”I use my height as best I can. I know that's one of my strengths," emphasizes the 31-year-old.
Episode 12 - “Who are you?” with Antoine Bibeau
// INTERVIEW
About routines and attention to detail
However, Bibeau does not confirm the preconception that ice hockey goalies are always a little “special” compared to field players. “There's nothing crazy about me,” he says with a laugh. However, fixed routines do help him in his daily work. “I always get changed at the same time, warm up on my bike, and tape my stick. This routine makes me feel comfortable and relaxed,” says Bibeau, describing his identical routine on game days. “It helps me especially when I'm particularly tense.”
Even in decisive situations on the ice, such as in overtime or before a penalty shot, Bibeau relies on small details. “The most important thing is not to think about it too much. You focus on the small details and not on things you can't control,” he explains.
The lot of a goalkeeper
Goalkeepers are always in the spotlight during a game, which is often both a blessing and a curse. The left-handed goalkeeper, who has played in five different countries during his career, is well aware of this. “In a way, at the end of the day, we can control the outcome of a game. If you have a bad day, it's reflected in the result. But that's also true when you have a particularly good day. So there's a lot of pressure in this position,” he explains. The good and the not-so-good aspects of a goalie's job are therefore closely related.
Antoine Bibeau making his debut for the Red Bulls
NHL debut for Toronto
In any case, Bibeau's approach and attitude are paying off handsomely, with the Canadian ultimately making it to the world's top league. This fulfilled a dream, and it's no surprise that he considers his first NHL game for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who drafted him in the sixth round in 2013, to be the greatest success of his career so far.
He recalls December 2016: “It was very special, of course; every kid dreams of that. You work so hard to achieve it. My family came to the arena especially for the game, which made it even more special.” After that, he made another NHL appearance for Toronto, as well as two for the Colorado Avalanche. However, Bibeau spent most of his career in North America in the AHL.
Sweden, Finland, and now Germany
In the summer of 2023, however, the family man decided to make the leap to Europe and moved to AIK Stockholm in Sweden. From there, his journey took him to KooKoo Kouvola in Finland's top league a year later, where Bibeau impressed. “It was quite an adjustment to come from North America to Europe at the time, as many things are different here,” he says in retrospect.
However, this fact also helped him settle in more quickly in Munich. “The fans here during a game are incredible and the people are very friendly,” he enthuses. “So far, it's been great here.”
Growing up outdoors and lots of snow
The Bavarian capital doesn't have much in common with his original home. Bibeau comes from Victoriaville in Quebec, the French-speaking part of Canada, which is best known for the Montreal Canadiens. “There's a lot of snow there in winter and it's very cold,” he laughs. “I enjoyed growing up there.” The region is also known for its many frozen lakes and open-air ice rinks. What more could a hockey fan want?
So it's no surprise that Bibeau came into contact with the sport as a child. “I played as a forward for a year, then switched to goalkeeper. That worked out well and I enjoyed it, so I stuck with it and that's how it all started,” he recalls.
The dream of a return
The only thing he didn't experience was the glorious era of the Quebec Nordiques, who moved to Colorado in 1995. After all, he was only one year old at the time. “But I know how important they were for Quebec and for Canada in general. We hope they'll come back one day. There's a really nice arena in Quebec City just waiting for the Nordiques,” he emphasizes. It's okay to dream!
Fan of the Olympics, Drake, and Beyoncé
In his private life, Bibeau is a real family man. It goes without saying that the birth of his son was the most significant moment in his life so far. And in a few weeks, he will become a father for the second time. With all the hustle and bustle, if there is any time left for rest and relaxation, he is already looking forward to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
“I enjoy watching the Olympics. The 4 Nations Face-Off (a tournament featuring Canada, the USA, Sweden, and Finland) was also very cool and gave us a preview of what to expect,” he said. That's because NHL players will be back for next February's highlight, along with all the world's superstars.
Bibeau is also interested in the music world. Less as a singer, but more as a visitor. “I've been to a live Drake concert in California and I saw Beyoncé in Toronto,” he says. So it's quite possible that we'll meet our number 30 at an event in Munich sometime.
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