Christopher Gibson is Bolzano's backup goalie with a special story. © Thomas Debelyak

NHL champion with Caribbean flair: Bolzano's globetrotter

HCB Südtirol Alperia returns to ICE Hockey League action on Wednesday. Backup goalie Christopher Gibson is expected to be in net: the man who unexpectedly joined HCB, but brought a highly interesting resume to the regional capital.

14 January 2026

Anyone strolling through the historic locker room area of ​​the Sparkasse Arena and encountering the players of HC Bozen will be greeted by a colorful array of nationalities. Here you'll find genuine Canadians, cool Americans, North Americans with an Italian flair, laid-back Swedes, fun-loving Italians, and cheerful South Tyroleans – it's quite a remarkable mix. For the past few weeks, the red-and-white locker room has been enriched by an exotic addition. Christopher Gibson, known to everyone as "Gibbi," brings something to the HCB locker room that has probably never been seen before: a Caribbean flair.

The roots of Bolzano's backup goalie, who was signed in mid-December as a replacement for the injured Gianluca Vallini, lie in a tropical holiday paradise. His father, Peter, comes from St. Lucia, an island nation in the Caribbean. "But it's been a while since I was last there," Gibson said in an interview with SportNews. His father met his mother Ulla – a Finn – in England, and together they started a family in Finland. "I'm someone who prefers sunshine to cold, but my home is definitely Finland," said the 32-year-old.

The father is a kickboxer, the son an NHL champion

Gibson brought not only a Caribbean flair to Bolzano, but also an impressive resume, having spent 17 years traversing the vast world of ice hockey. "At 15, I went to Canada to pursue my ice hockey dream," Gibson recalls. This made it clear to him early on that he wouldn't follow in his father's footsteps: his father is an artist ("he paints all kinds of pictures") and a kickboxer ("he was never a professional, but he coached Finland's national team").

Christopher Gibson with the Stanley Cup trophy. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / BRUCE BENNETT

His son Christopher, on the other hand, wrote his own personal fairytale in North America. Drafted 49th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2011, the goalie made his NHL debut with the New York Islanders four years later. Gibson played a total of 14 games with the Islanders, making headlines in March 2018. In a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames, the talented netminder made an incredible 50 saves, becoming a true hero. "I simply enjoyed playing in the NHL," Gibson reflects.

"Lifting the Stanley Cup was an incredible feeling." Christopher Gibson

The Finnish goalie experienced his absolute highlight not in New York, but in Florida. In the 2020/21 season, he was under contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning – the team that won the Stanley Cup (the championship title). "I played two games for Tampa Bay that season. During the playoffs, I cheered them on from the stands, but I always trained with the team and was part of the team. After the final buzzer in the decisive final, I was able to raise the trophy on the ice; that was an incredible feeling," said Gibson.

Gibson in goal for the New York Islanders. He guarded the net 14 times for this NHL club. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / BRUCE BENNETT

For ten years, Gibson played professionally in North America, spending most of his time in the American Hockey League (254 games) and playing for a total of eleven different teams: from Toronto to New York, from Orlando to Florida, from Syracuse to Seattle – Gibson saw much of the hockey world and his calm, collected manner made him well-received everywhere he went. Nevertheless, he also experienced the downsides of the business in North America. "I deleted all my social media accounts during that time. I was getting all kinds of messages; it eventually became too much," Gibson said.

Via Finland, Slovakia and Germany to Bolzano

In 2023, the 1,88-meter-tall goalie returned to Europe, landing in Bolzano after stints with Lukko (Finnish first division), Nove Zamky (Slovakia), and Kassel (DEL2). The former NHL goalie has made a very strong impression in his two appearances for the Foxes against Vorarlberg (5-0) and Graz (2-3 OT) and is expected to play his third game for HCB on Wednesday in the away game against Fehervar (7:15 p.m.). "I'm enjoying my time here and want to help the team as much as possible," Christopher Gibson concluded.

ICE Hockey League, games on Wednesday (7:15 pm)

Fehervar AV19 – HC Bozen
Black Wings Linz – FTC Telekom