The Colorado Avalanche announced Friday that the team has acquired goaltender Antoine Bibeau from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Nicolas Meloche. Bibeau will report to the Colorado Eagles’ training camp.
Bibeau, 25, spent the 2018-19 season with the American Hockey League’s San Jose Barracuda, where he went 16-13-5 with a .904 save percentage and a 2.89 goals-against average.
Signed by the San Jose Sharks as a free agent on July 1, 2017, Bibeau posted a 23-14-4 record in his first season with the Barracuda in 2017-18. He had a .919 save percentage and a 2.37 goals-against average, earning a spot on the Pacific Division’s All-Star Team.
A sixth-round selection (172nd overall) of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 NHL Draft, Bibeau has played in two NHL contests, both starts, and went 1-1-0 with a .927 save percentage and a 1.99 goals-against average. He has a 95-60-20 record, .909 save percentage, 2.71 goals-against average and 16 shutouts in 182 career AHL appearances with the Toronto Marlies and Barracuda. The 6-foot-3, 213-pound goaltender has competed in the Calder Cup Playoffs for five consecutive seasons (2015-19), recording a .890 save percentage and a 3.12 goals-against average in 19 total postseason appearances.
Bibeau played three full seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2011-14, registering a 58-38-10 record, a .901 save percentage and a 3.24 goals-against average in 126 career outings for the Lewiston MAINEiacs, Prince Edward Island Rocket, Charlottetown Checkers and Val-d’Or Foreurs. The Victoriaville, Quebec, native helped Val-d’Or capture the President’s Cup as QMJHL champions in 2014 and was awarded the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. He posted a .932 save percentage and a 2.76 goals-against average for the Foreurs in the Memorial Cup, earning tournament All-Star and most outstanding goaltender honors.