TRUE Sports has moved to strengthen its executive ranks as it advances an aggressive growth strategy, naming former NHL goaltender and long-time hockey industry executive Geoff Sarjeant as its new president. The Toronto-based company announced the appointment Wednesday, describing it as a key step toward becoming “the #1 recognized hockey brand in the world.”
Sarjeant, who joins the firm immediately and will report directly to TRUE Sports CEO, chairman and owner W. Graeme Roustan, brings more than three decades of experience spanning professional sport, major retail operations and high-performance athlete development. His career includes NHL stops with the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues, as well as senior business roles with Canadian Tire Corporation, CTC Hockey and Pro Hockey Life.
Roustan said Sarjeant’s blend of on-ice experience and retail leadership provides TRUE with a rare advantage as it competes in an increasingly innovation-driven equipment market. “Geoff brings unmatched hockey executive leadership to TRUE,” Roustan said. “His experience across team operations, retail, and athlete performance—combined with his background as an NHL goalie—gives him a unique understanding of what it takes to build the best gear in the world. With Geoff leading our organization, and with the strength of our world-class TRUE executives and teammates, we are fully aligned and energized for the future.”
TRUE Sports, which owns TRUE Hockey, has built a strong footprint in the elite goaltending segment, where it is already the top choice among NHL goaltenders for skates and equipment. Sarjeant’s direct knowledge of goaltending performance requirements is expected to reinforce that position as the company seeks broader global recognition.
Sarjeant most recently served as president of the Saskatoon Entertainment Group, stewarding operations for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, the NLL’s Saskatchewan Rush and the WCBL’s Saskatoon Berries. His role included oversight of business operations, partnerships and organizational strategy across multiple professional teams—experience TRUE Sports said will be important as it continues scaling product development and distribution.
“I’m thrilled to join TRUE at such an important moment,” Sarjeant said. “TRUE stands for craftsmanship, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of performance. With our strengthened leadership team and the passion of our teammates, we are ready to take TRUE to the next level.”
Leadership expansion brings veteran operators to product and supply-chain functions
Along with Sarjeant’s appointment, TRUE Sports unveiled two additional senior hires—moves positioned to bolster global product innovation and operations infrastructure.
Paul Gibson joins as executive vice-president and chief operations officer, bringing more than 30 years of experience from rival Bauer. During his long tenure there, Gibson oversaw the company’s entire innovation and supply-chain pipeline, including research and development, manufacturing, sourcing, compliance, logistics and quality control. He also played key roles in Bauer’s IPO and its merger and acquisition strategy. Gibson will report to Sarjeant.
Adam Gans, appointed executive vice-president of product, adds nearly three decades of expertise in high-performance product design and composite materials. His career began at Nike, where he advanced Bauer’s composite hockey stick innovations, before leading multi-sport composite technology initiatives at Performance Sports Group. At Adidas/CCM, he helped transform the company’s stick line into a market leader as director of innovation and business unit director.
In 2020, Gans founded Gans Consulting Inc., contributing to projects ranging from track shoes to Formula One components. He has also served on the board of Aerodine Composites and holds 42 international patents.
Roustan said the new appointments signal TRUE Sports’ commitment to advancing its technical and operational capabilities. “Paul and Adam are among the most respected executives in hockey, and their track records speak for themselves,” he said. “From groundbreaking product innovation to best-in-class global operations, their leadership will be instrumental in driving TRUE’s next era of performance and growth.”
Brand ambitions and market focus
TRUE Hockey, a division of TRUE Sports, has positioned itself as a premium performance brand centred on customization, technical engineering and athlete-driven design. Beyond its dominance in the goaltending category, the brand has expanded its presence across sticks, skates and protective equipment.
By reinforcing both its executive leadership and its product development bench, TRUE Sports aims to enhance its competitiveness against major hockey manufacturers as it pushes toward global brand recognition.
The company’s announcement also included a corporate note about Roundtable, a Web3 digital media SaaS platform that provides white-label publishing and monetization services for media organizations and creators.
With Sarjeant now at the helm and two seasoned industry veterans joining the executive team, TRUE Sports signalled it is preparing for a period of heightened product innovation, operational expansion and international brand building.
