Paul Bibeault

Paul-Emile "Babe" Bibeault (April 13, 1919 in Montreal, Quebec – February 8, 1970) was an ice hockey goaltender.

Paul Bibeault played over 200 games for four different NHL clubs during the 1940s. He was a consistent and durable competitor whose solid work often came as an emergency fill in for established star who was called to military service. His other claim to fame was being the son-in-law of the legendary Frank Selke.

The Montreal native impressed the Canadiens' scouts while he starred with the junior Verdun Maple Leafs. Bibeault also played for the senior Montreal Canadiens and the Verdun Maple Leafs. He played four games for the Habs in 1940-41 then gained further seasoning with the senior Canadiens and the AHL's Washington Lions. Bibeault played nearly two full years with Montreal and led the NHL with 50 appearances in 1942-43.

After serving briefly in the army, Bibeault was discharged and joined the Toronto Maple Leafs on loan for the last half of the 1943-44 season. In so doing he became the third goalie after George Hainsworth and Lorne Chabot to play for both the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens. Bibeault excelled for the Blue and White with five shutouts and earned selection to the NHL second all-star team. He next played for the Boston Bruins who lost star netminder Frank Brimsek to military service.

After playing 41 games for the Chicago Black Hawks in 1946-47, Bibeault spent the remainder of his career in the minors. His finest season came in 1948-49 when he starred for the USHL's Dallas Texans. Bibeault was placed on the league's first all-star team, won the Charles Gardiner Memorial Trophy as the top goalie in the USHL, and was presented the Herman W. Paterson Cup as the league MVP.

He retired in 1955 after playing a couple of games for the IHL's Cincinnati Mohawks.

Trivia

 * After the November 15, 1942 game at Detroit, it was discovered that the jersey of Tony Graboski of the Montreal Canadiens was missing. With no extra jerseys and an impending game at the Boston Garden, the Canadiens borrowed the #16 jersey from the Red Wings which goalie Paul Bibeault wore for the November 17, 1942 game against the Boston Bruins. Graboski wore Bibeault's #1 jersey for the game.