BEMIDJI — Bemidji State men’s hockey assistant coach Mike Gibbons announced his retirement from Bemidji State after serving as an assistant on the Beavers’ coaching staff for the past three seasons.
“Mike Gibbons is a Beaver through and through, a true protégé of the late Coach R.H. Peters,” said Tom Serratore, head men’s hockey coach. “His coaching resume speaks for itself, and we are grateful for his time in the green and white as he closes out his career. He has been a tenacious and passionate recruiter as well as a coach with a real love for the game, our players and the Beaver hockey tradition.”
Gibbons joined the Bemidji State coaching staff prior to the 2020-21 delayed season, helping the Beavers to an NCAA East Regional Championship game appearance in 2020-21 and Central Collegiate Hockey Association Championship game appearance in 2021-22. During his time as an assistant, he helped the Beavers to a 49-47-8 record and handled primary recruiting duties for the program over the last three seasons.
“I want to thank the players and staff, especially Tom and Travis (Winter),” said Gibbons. “I’ve enjoyed every minute working with these passionate and talented coaches. BSU Hockey fans should be super excited about the upcoming season with excellent returners and quality recruits coming to the program. The Beavers have championship potential.”
In his time at Bemidji State, eight Beavers were recognized as All-Conference selections including Western Collegiate Hockey Association Defensive Player of the Year, Elias Rosén. The Beavers had 52 players recognized as All-Academic Team selections with Zach Driscoll earning WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year recognition.
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Gibbons returned to his alma mater after 14 years at St. Cloud State University and helped lead the Huskies to four conference championships (WCHA-2013 and NCHC-2014, 2018 and 2019), the NCHC Frozen Faceoff title in 2016, 275 victories and eight NCAA tournament appearances including a trip to the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four.
Gibbons' coaching resume includes stops at all levels of the game of hockey including the professional ranks, junior hockey, college and high school.
A graduate of BSU, where he was a standout blueliner for the Beavers from 1975-79, Gibbons gained All-America notice in 1978 and 1979 and helped BSU win a national title in 1979.
He began his coaching career at BSU as an assistant coach in 1981, later serving as an interim head coach during the 1982-83 campaign. That season he led the Beavers to a 30-6-1 record, an NCHA championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II championship game. For his efforts and the team's success, Gibbons was selected the NCHA Coach of the Year and the Edward Jeremiah College Division National Coach of the Year.
Gibbons moved to Northern Michigan University in 1983 where he served as an assistant coach with the Wildcats' hockey program until 1988. He went on to serve as an assistant coach at Colorado College (1988-90) and the University of Denver (1990-94). After leaving Denver, Gibbons worked for one year as the head coach for the Langley Thunder in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League.
From 1995-97, Gibbons moved into the professional ranks as an assistant coach with the Baltimore Bandits, the Anaheim Ducks' top affiliate in the AHL. Gibbons returned to Minnesota in 1997 to take over as head coach at Eastview High School and remained there for 10 seasons.
In 2006, Gibbons served as an assistant coach for the USA Junior National Team, which placed fourth at the World Junior Tournament in Vancouver, B.C. In 1993, he was a co-head coach with Scott Owens of the USA Select Team and he has coached numerous USA Hockey Select 17 teams during his career.
Gibbons received the American Hockey Coaches Association's Terry Flanagan Award in 2016. The award is presented annually and it honors an assistant coach's career body of work.
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Bemidji State will immediately begin the process of finding a candidate to fill the position vacated by Gibbons’ retirement.
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