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Sunday, October 17, 2010

Christopher Gibson: A guy you should know

After being named the CHL Goaltender of the Week for 4-11 October, Finland native Christopher Gibson isn't going to be flying under the radar much longer. Some might argue that he was not flying under the radar at all, but when at least one scouting source doesn't even have the player ranked, then you can make the case that he's underexposed.

I got a tip on Gibson (who is a December '92 birthdate), because to be honest-- I wasn't tracking him all that closely, but the outstanding Chicoutimi Sagueneens stopper has clearly outplayed another 2011 draft-eligible in more diminutive but quick teammate Robin Gusse.

The 6-1, 198-pound Gibson has a 4-3-1 record with a 2.28 GAA, .924 save percentage and 2 shutouts for the Sagueneens (I always think of Felix Potvin when I see those black, blue and white jerseys). The 16th overall pick in the 2009 CHL Import Draft got his 1st QMJHL whitewash against the Montreal Juniors and more are likely to come given his big frame, athleticism and the fact that he plays that butterfly technique that is the norm in hockey right now. If you look at him, he resembles Tuukka Rask in terms of his stance and playing style.

He's from the Espoo Blues developmental system in Finland, but came over to North America a few years ago and also an alumnus of the storied Notre Dame Hounds AAA program, for whom he was a part of the 2009 midget championship.

He's got the size and reflexes to play that butterfly style effectively, and there are vids out there that you can access to see for yourself (h/t nhldraftvideo). This prototypical goalie specimen with the quick glove and interesting backstory should be garnering more attention as the season goes on.

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