Confirmed Signing with Link: [CAR] Canes sign Jack LaFontaine to ELC (1 year, $910.909k, two-way)

[57special]

Maybe it was also the primest opportunity for signing him? They tried make it happen last summer, but he didn't bite, and was well on his route to gollege-UFAdom this August.

"Hi, Jack... us again. We know you have plans to seek your fortunes through the farm system of the organization of your own choice, but we're currently like really short in the NHL goalie department. Tom can't afford to pay you more than the league minimum SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS plus the normal 90k for signing, but it sure would be shame if we missed on the chase for the Cup in lieu of a healthy goalie to stand behind Jaccob and the guys. So, please, call us back."

Oh, I understand his POV, though keep in mind that he will be paid 90K (or whatever) minor league salary for the vast majority of his contract. IMO, he is not close to being a NHL goalie. If CAR has him on their NHL roster even as a backup for more than a few games then they are in deep do-do.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

But he stilled play virtually all the important minutes for the team. I don't blame him, but I do think the Canes had other options at G that didn't involve taking a goalie mid season from a college team.

Why exactly should a professional sports team care about a collegiate team? If they have interest in the player and the player wants to sign what’s the issue?

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Oh, I understand his POV, though keep in mind that he will be paid 90K (or whatever) minor league salary for the vast majority of his contract. IMO, he is not close to being a NHL goalie. If CAR has him on their NHL roster even as a backup for more than a few games then they are in deep do-do.

We ARE in deep do-do. Both AHL goalies (Makiniemi and Warm) are out with injury to the point where they are using two guys they signed on PTOs so the AHL wolves could have goaltending. Raanta is out with an injury for a while and Anderson missed the last game with an injury.

We had 1 available goalie and that was 29 year old journeyman Alex Lyon, who the called off the taxi squad to play against Florida the other night. Sounds like Anderson is ok, but Anderson, Lyon and Lafontaine is all they got.

 

[Lempo]

Oh, I understand his POV, though keep in mind that he will be paid 90K (or whatever) minor league salary for the vast majority of his contract. IMO, he is not close to being a NHL goalie. If CAR has him on their NHL roster even as a backup for more than a few games then they are in deep do-do.

Yes, and yes, getting the NHL salary for a pro-longed time is a longshot, but still, every day on the NHL roster pays him about 4000k a piece. Do-do or no do-do, there is the try.

 

[Negan4Coach]

Why exactly should a professional sports team care about a collegiate team? If they have interest in the player and the player wants to sign what’s the issue?

Yeah the amount of people that seem to be mentally invested in the hockey season of some rando college is astonishing. And quite frankly, after the level of vitriol directed against an entire region of the country because of this, I am completely unconcerned about the fate of the team's season.

 

[Discipline Daddy]

Yes, and yes, getting the NHL salary for a pro-longed time is a longshot, but still, every day on the NHL roster pays him about 4000k a piece. Do-do or no do-do, there is the try.

This is why @Lempo is the greatest of all time. I feel bad for the 0ther 31 teams that do not experience his Swedish wisdom.

 

[Svechhammer]

Looks like he's at least sitting on the bench tonight

 

[inthe6ix]

With that name, you'd figure he was somehow related to Pat who used to dominate with the Isles, but no.. anyhow, good on him, and good luck to him with the Canes.

 

[Tryamw]

Looks like he's at least sitting on the bench tonight

He got to play as well Gave up 2 breakaway goals..

 

[Svechhammer]

He got to play as well Gave up 2 breakaway goals..

Boys just wanted to get his first multi-goal against out of the way so he can relax on the long term. What better way than by hanging him out to dry at home.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Yeah the amount of people that seem to be mentally invested in the hockey season of some rando college is astonishing. And quite frankly, after the level of vitriol directed against an entire region of the country because of this, I am completely unconcerned about the fate of the team's season.

It’s not some rando college. It’s a top 10 D-1 school with arguably the biggest following in college hockey and they just had their starter taken from them just so he can (likely) ride the bench. I’m a Wisconsin fan (rival team), but this really sucks for gopher fans.

 

[Hobnobs]

It’s not some rando college. It’s a top 10 D-1 school with arguably the biggest following in college hockey and they just had their starter taken from them just so he can (likely) ride the bench. I’m a Wisconsin fan (rival team), but this really sucks for gopher fans.

Karma for screwing over non-elite schools. Imagine being bent out of shape over a 24-year old goalie leaving college mid season from a school that actively throws (together with the rest of the of the big 10) the rest of the collegiate teams to the wolves.

Anyways, very few cares about college hockey anyways.

 

[Negan4Coach]

It’s not some rando college. It’s a top 10 D-1 school with arguably the biggest following in college hockey and they just had their starter taken from them just so he can (likely) ride the bench. I’m a Wisconsin fan (rival team), but this really sucks for gopher fans.

Woooopedeeedooo

 

[Digitalbooya]

Karma for screwing over non-elite schools. Imagine being bent out of shape over a 24-year old goalie leaving college mid season from a school that actively throws (together with the rest of the of the big 10) the rest of the collegiate teams to the wolves.

Anyways, very few cares about college hockey anyways.

Your first two sentences seem to suggest otherwise.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Your first two sentences seem to suggest otherwise.

Sucks for the Gophers. They can stop crying and move on. Kid got a better opportunity for his career and bank account. Literally anyone else in *his* position would do the exact same thing.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Nice first start.

 

[tapi]

The Canes always go for gambles when it comes to goaltending, and not once has it paid off. This season Andersen has at least looked very solid which is far better than usual for CAR, but with their main backup being a guy who has played around 50 games total in the last 4 seasons, and now this guy here being acquired, who through not any fault of his own is way out of his league, the situation is simple: if Andersen is down come playoffs, the season is done for the Canes.

Bear in mind, they elected to throw away valuable assets and sign a rather mediocre one-year rental [surely not even the Canes will pay him his QO] at 6.1m to play 12 minutes on the third line, just to spite the Habs. Those wasted assets could have proven valuable either in acquiring a goelie who can at least give the team some chance to win a series in Andersen's absence, or to reinforce any other roster position at the deadline in the light of the injury situation at hand at that point.

 

[w e l o s t b o y s]

The Canes always go for gambles when it comes to goaltending, and not once has it paid off. This season Andersen has at least looked very solid which is far better than usual for CAR, but with their main backup being a guy who has played around 50 games total in the last 4 seasons, and now this guy here being acquired, who through not any fault of his own is way out of his league, the situation is simple: if Andersen is down come playoffs, the season is done for the Canes.

Bear in mind, they elected to throw away valuable assets and sign a rather mediocre one-year rental [surely not even the Canes will pay him his QO] at 6.1m to play 12 minutes on the third line, just to spite the Habs. Those wasted assets could have proven valuable either in acquiring a goelie who can at least give the team some chance to win a series in Andersen's absence, or to reinforce any other roster position at the deadline in the light of the injury situation at hand at that point.

yeah you got it right on the money

 

[Chrispy]

Looking at the goalie moves this regime has made since taking over:

2018-19:
Mrazek: 2.39 GAA, .914 SV%, 4.5 GSAA
McElhinney: 2.58 GAA, .912 SV%, 2.3 GSAA

2019-20:
Mrazek: 2.69 GAA, .905 SV%, -5.4 GSAA
Reimer: 2.66 GAA, .914 SV%, 3.4 GSAA

2020-21:
Mrazek: 2.06 GAA, .923 SV%, 4.5 GSAA
Reimer: 2.66 GAA, .906 SV%, -1.2 GSAA
(Nedeljkovic was not their pick, but still heavily used:
1.90 GAA, .932 SV%, 15.7 GSAA)

2021-22:
Andersen: 2.03 GAA, .928 SV%, 13.9 GSAA
Raanta: 2.35 GAA, .908 SV%, -0.3 GSAA

In summary, Mrazek was picked up off the scrap heap and gave them 2 good seasons out of 3.
McElhinney was a waiver pickup and gave them a great backup season.
Reimer was picked up for Darling so Florida could have a more consistent buyout number and provided one good season out of 2, and a decent 20-21 as a backup.
Ned was outstanding in an emergency.
Andersen has been great this season.
Raanta has been less consistent, although not bad for a backup, and is currently hurt.

TL, DR: Goalies are voodoo, and the Canes have done well with goalies not in high demand from the rest of the league.

 

[Chrispy]

The bigger issue is that when the Canes made this move, the #1, #2, #4, and #5 goalies in the system were hurt (see the initial posts in this thread.) Lyon was called up to Carolina from Chicago and the Wolves were forced to find tryouts to play goal. Carolina can't get Kochetkov out of the KHL mid-season, so LaFontaine was the only option within their system for help in goal.

Once Raanta is fully healthy, I expect you will see LaFontaine move down to the AHL to get some playing time, and perhaps the ECHL once Makiniemi and Warm are healthy. Lyon will take over as the taxi squad goalie.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Great name , that is all

 

[Svechhammer]

The Canes always go for gambles when it comes to goaltending, and not once has it paid off. This season Andersen has at least looked very solid which is far better than usual for CAR, but with their main backup being a guy who has played around 50 games total in the last 4 seasons, and now this guy here being acquired, who through not any fault of his own is way out of his league, the situation is simple: if Andersen is down come playoffs, the season is done for the Canes.

Bear in mind, they elected to throw away valuable assets and sign a rather mediocre one-year rental [surely not even the Canes will pay him his QO] at 6.1m to play 12 minutes on the third line, just to spite the Habs. Those wasted assets could have proven valuable either in acquiring a goelie who can at least give the team some chance to win a series in Andersen's absence, or to reinforce any other roster position at the deadline in the light of the injury situation at hand at that point.

lol what.

Imagine watching the Canes the last couple years and thinking "yeah this team sucks at identifying goaltending talent"

Freddie is a Top 5 goalie in the NHL this season and the combo of Mrazek and Ned had us around the same level last year as well. Your claims are just not at all correct.

And of course you threw in the KK signing, because... well, that's the tell of the bias.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

lol what.

Imagine watching the Canes the last couple years and thinking "yeah this team sucks at identifying goaltending talent"

Freddie is a Top 5 goalie in the NHL this season and the combo of Mrazek and Ned had us around the same level last year as well. Your claims are just not at all correct.

And of course you threw in the KK signing, because... well, that's the tell of the bias.

You realize you are responding to the "Canes should trade Aho" guy. Not worth it.

Right now Canes are 6th best in the NHL in goalie SV%
Over the last 2 seasons and this one combined, the Canes are 5th best in team SV%. (All situations per NaturalStatTrick).

 

[Svechhammer]

You realize you are responding to the "Canes should trade Aho" guy. Not worth it.

Ahh that explains everything. I did not realize, mah bad