The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have signed goaltender Kevin Mandolese to a PTO. Mandolese, 25, went 11-6 with a 2.87 GAA, .903SV%, and one shutout in 19 games last season with the Colorado Eagles. I would expect him to see some action with Montreal in the preseason.
The former sixth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators will be entering his sixth professional season. Prior to joining the Eagles last season, Mandolese spent four seasons with the Belleville Senators, where he put up a 28-28-5 record with a 3.30 GAA, .896SV%, and one shutout. He would see three games at the NHL level with the Senators during the 2022-2023 season. In those three games, he went 1-2 with a 3.19 GAA and .916SV%.
The Blainville, Quebec, native has also seen time at the ECHL level with the Atlanta Gladiators and Allen Americans. He has a 6-7-1 record with a 2.77 GAA, .921SV%, and two shutouts in 15 games. During the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs, Mandolese went 4-5 with 3.13 GAA, .914SV%, and one shutout in nine games.
What Does This Mean For Montreal
For Montreal, Mandolese will join the competition for a role in Laval next season. At the moment, it would appear as the tandem in Laval will be Jacob Fowler and Kaapo Kahkonen. Laval also signed Hunter Jones and Ben Gaudreau to AHL deals.
If Montreal does decide to carry three goaltenders, Mandolese could fit in nicely in Laval with Fowler. Mandolese would add an experienced AHL goalie to the mix for the Rocket.
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