The Hershey Bears re-signed Mitch Gibson to a one-year AHL deal on Wednesday, further adding to the organization’s vast goaltending depth. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Gibson, a native of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, spent the majority of last season with the South Carolina Stingrays, where he won 12 of his 13 decisions in net (12-1-0). The former Harvard goaltender dominated ECHL competition, posting a 1.75 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage. However, he missed a chunk of the season due to injury, going down with an issue on December 22 and returning to game action on March 3.
“Yeah, it was, just a personal obstacle with being hurt all of January and February,” Gibson said to RMNB at the end of the year. “No one ever really wants to go through that, but with professional hockey, it’s obviously not a matter of if you’re going to get injured, it’s when. And I knew that and just kept my head down, kept moving forward, tried to contribute however much I could during the regular season. And obviously really fun, regular season down there and great team, great guys.”
The Stingrays were the top team in the ECHL, but fell in the second round of the playoffs to the Orlando Solar Bears.
Gibson is undefeated in three appearances with the Hershey Bears (3-0-0) and has posted gaudy numbers with the AHL club as well: a 1.94 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. He first debuted with Hershey on Oct. 22, 2023, stopping 21 shots in a 3-2 overtime win against the Bridgeport Islanders. He was also Hershey’s third goaltender during the team’s Calder Cup championship run in 2024.
Gibson made one appearance for Hershey last season, making 26 saves in a Bears’ 6-2 win over the Springfield Thunderbirds on October 26.
Notably, during the 2023-24 season, he became the 16th goaltender in ECHL history to score a goalie goal while playing for the Stingrays.
Gibson is now the sixth goaltender under contract in the Capitals organization and the second on an AHL deal headed into the 2025-26 campaign.
Goalies under contract
Logan Thompson
Charlie Lindgren
Clay Stevenson
Garin Bjorklund
Mitch Gibson (AHL deal)
Antoine Keller (AHL deal)
Two other goaltenders, Hunter Shepard and Seth Eisele, will be free agents on July 1.
Gibson was originally selected in the fourth round, 124th overall, by the Washington Capitals in the 2018 NHL Draft.
Here’s the press release from the Hershey Bears:
BEARS SIGN GOALTENDER MITCH GIBSON TO AHL CONTRACT
Netminder inks AHL deal with Hershey to remain in organization for 2025-26 season
(Hershey, PA – June 25, 2025) – The Hershey Bears announced today that the club has signed goaltender Mitch Gibson to an American Hockey League contract for the 2025-26 season. The announcement was made by Hershey vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer.
Gibson, 26, appeared in one game with Hershey last season, stopping 26 shots to earn a win at Springfield on Oct. 26. The 6’2’’, 204-pound netminder spent the majority of the season with the club’s ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays, where he went 12-1-0 in 14 games for South Carolina this season, posting a 1.75 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage in an injury-shortened season. He went 1-3 in four playoff games for the Stingrays with a 3.40 goals-against average and an .870 save percentage.
The Phoenixville, Pennsylvania native is 3-0-0 in his AHL career with Hershey with a 1.94 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. He made his AHL debut on Oct. 22, 2023, stopping 21 shots in a win at Bridgeport. He served as Hershey’s third goaltender during the team’s run to the 2024 Calder Cup title.
With the Stingrays as a rookie in 2023-24, Gibson went 22-14-3 with a 2.56 goals-against average, an .899 save percentage, and three shutouts. Gibson’s 2.56 goals-against average ranked third among ECHL goaltenders with 40 or more games played. He was credited with a goal in the Stingrays’ win over Savannah on Dec. 1, 2013, becoming the 16th goaltender in ECHL history to score.
Gibson was selected in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals.
