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Greyhounds blueliner donning a different red and white tonight

Hounds defenceman Andrew Gibson is on the roster for Team Canada, which begins its pursuit of a gold medal tonight at the world junior hockey championship
SooToday Staff

Soo Greyhounds fans have an extra reason to cheer for this year’s version of Team Canada at the world junior hockey championship.

When the Canadian squad takes to the ice for its first round-robin game tonight, Hounds defenceman Andrew Gibson — and his much-discussed moustache — will be patrolling the blue line. 

"It's a great feeling,” Gibson said in a recent interview with NHL.com. “Growing up watching this tournament as a kid, you've always dreamed of wearing this jersey at Christmas time. To be able to put that on and represent my country is an honour.”

The 19-year-old D-man was picked by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round of the 2023 NHL draft, but was later traded to the Nashville Predators. Now in his fourth season with the Greyhounds, Gibson serves as one of the team's assistant captains.

He was named to Team Canada on Dec. 13.

 

 

“He’s a bit of a throwback defenceman: plays defence first, takes as much pride in a blocked shot as he does in creating anything offensively — old school,” said Team Canada coach Dave Cameron, speaking to TSN. “Anytime you have a throwback player that evaluates his shifts and game on doing the non-glamorous things, there’s not enough of those guys in hockey now.”

Cameron himself has ties to Sault Ste. Marie, where he worked as head coach of the Hounds in the late-1990s.

In the days leading up to the world junior tournament, Gibson’s moustache has received almost as much attention as his game. Teammates have jokingly teased him about it, calling him “tough guy.”

“I grew it out for Movember of last year and I kind of liked it,” he told TSN. “My mom doesn’t really like it. She wants me to either shave it or she might like a goatee. But my sister says it’s grown on her, so that’s always good. Her opinion always matters to me.”

 

 

This year’s world junior tournament is in Ottawa, with Team Canada playing its first game against Finland at 7:30 p.m.

The gold medal game is set for Sunday Jan. 5 at 7:30 p.m.