The University of Maine men’s hockey team has added a forward with size and a scoring touch for next fall.
Dane Gibson, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound winger, has verbally committed to attend Maine as a scholarship athlete.
He is one of the leading scorers in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League with 32 goals and 57 assists in 56 games for the Victoria Grizzlies.
“He’s a power forward who has a real good touch. He has a lot of finesse in his game but he also had a lot of grit,” said Craig Didmon, head coach and general manager of the Grizzlies.
“He’s the best player on the ice every night. He’s a pretty complete player. He’s smart defensively and has great offensive flair. He’s fun to watch,” added Didmon.
Didmon said Gibson has come into his own and matured as a hockey player and a person over the last year and a half and will be a “great addition” to the Black Bear program.
“Maine is very lucky to get him. He’s a big, strong kid and a great athlete,” said Didmon.
The 20-year-old Gibson said he consulted with his coach, teammates and former teammates and “they had great things to say about Maine.”
Gibson, who was recruited by three other Division I schools, said Maine assistant coach Ben Guite impressed him.
“He seemed like a great guy,” said Gibson.
“I’m excited about it,” added Gibson, who is from Sidney, British Columbia.
He said he intends to work on “puck protection, being hard on the puck, my defensive game and my stops and starts” in preparation for the transition to college hockey.
Gibson’s coming to Maine is contingent upon his being accepted into the school and meeting NCAA eligibility requirements.