On Tuesday, the Colorado Avalanche announced that goaltender Kevin Mandolese has agreed to a one-year, two-way deal. PuckPedia estimates that the deal is worth $125,000 in the minor leagues, $775,000 in the NHL, and includes a $150,000 guarantee.
The 23-year-old goalie was acquired by the Avalanche from the Ottawa Senators one day prior to his new deal. In exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, the Avalanche also received a 2026 seventh-round pick.
The Senators originally selected Mandolese in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. The previous season, he split his time between the ECHL’s Allen Americans and the American Hockey League’s Belleville Senators. With the Senators of the AHL, Mandolese recorded a 10-9-2 record, 3.07 goals against average, and a.901 save percentage (Sv.%).
The product of Blainville, Quebec has played in the minor leagues for the most of his professional career; nevertheless, he made his NHL debut in the 2022–2023 season. Mandolese made three appearances for Ottawa, going 1-2-0 with a.916 Sv%.
Mandolese has represented Canada internationally from his youth years, competing for the Under-17 and Under-18 teams in 2016–17 and 2017–18, respectively.
For the 2024–2025 season, Mandolese and Trent Miner will likely compete for playing time with the Colorado Eagles, with Mandolese perhaps receiving a call-up in the event of an injury. For the upcoming season, Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen are scheduled to be the Avalanche’s combination. Colorado placed 17th in the NHL at the end of the 2023–24 season, giving up 3.07 goals per contest. With Linus Ullmark and Anton Forsberg serving as their NHL tandem, the Senators continue to work toward their goal of returning to the Eastern Conference playoffs the following season.
Remaining with the Senators, they also had contracts with Mads Sogaard and Leevi Merilainen until 2024–2025; hence, Mandolese’s move to the Avalanche may have been an example of management doing the right thing by the player and providing him with a chance to play regular minutes at the AHL level elsewhere.
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