Confirmed with Link: Evan Fitzpatrick signs ELC

[PiggySmalls]

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[MortiestOfMortys]

lol wut.

Fitz really needs another year of juniors, so unless we're planning on pulling him off that godawful Sherbrooke team and sending him to the ECHL, that's probably what will happen. His stats have been inconsistent and generally unimpressive this season, and in terms of shots/game he really isn't seeing that many more on average than any of the other goalies in our system. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K

 

[Celtic Note]

I don't really get this move.

 

[Stealth JD]

Thank god. We were starting to get a little thin in our goalie depth after the loss of FeeOnyx. Hopefully they can get a couple more goalies into the organization because we're not set unless we're three-deep at every professional level. Armstrong's brilliance shines through once more.

 

[carter333167]

We need a new GM.

 

[RORbacon]

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I think he is still gonna be playing in Juniors next season. He doesn't turn 20 until late Jan.

 

[Alklha]

I think he is still gonna be playing in Juniors next season. He doesn't turn 20 until late Jan.

Exactly.

The reaction here is bizarre, it isn't like he is a college goalie and it means he is turning pro. This is a formality and he'll be back in the QMJHL next season. Just like Opilka being signed 2 years ago and being in the OHL for the past 2 seasons.

 

[Oberyn]

Lol why are people getting upset? Signing him doesn't change anything, he's not eligible to play in the AHL or ECHL. It's really just a formality.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

I don't get why people are belittling this move. He's a junior player that won't have to leave junior hockey until after next season. Why would this be a bad idea again?

 

[RORbacon]

Lol why are people getting upset? Signing him doesn't change anything, he's not eligible to play in the AHL or ECHL. It's really just a formality.

Not a single poster in this thread was upset.

 

[joshyhockey26]

lol wut.

Fitz really needs another year of juniors, so unless we're planning on pulling him off that godawful Sherbrooke team and sending him to the ECHL, that's probably what will happen. His stats have been inconsistent and generally unimpressive this season, and in terms of shots/game he really isn't seeing that many more on average than any of the other goalies in our system. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K

He'll start in the ECHL once he's pro eligible.

 

[MissouriMook]

I think it is a little confusing in that we are now using 6 of our 50 contracts on goalies. I just can't see how we would have been in danger of losing him if we didn't sign him, so unless there is another factor in play here that I'm missing it doesn't really make sense to me to burn one of our 50 contracts on a guy this in-proven.

Edit: Just realized that he will still be 19 on December 31 so his contract will slide next year and not count against our 50 (we are currently at 47). Musil and Opilka will count after July 1, but Kyrou will not unless he makes the big club.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I think it is a little confusing in that we are now using 6 of our 50 contracts on goalies. I just can't see how we would have been in danger of losing him if we didn't sign him, so unless there is another factor in play here that I'm missing it doesn't really make sense to me to burn one of our 50 contracts on a guy this in-proven.

Most teams have 5-6 goalies signed. It's just how the business works.

 

[Oberyn]

Not a single poster in this thread was upset.

Eh poor wording choice but i was only able to quickly glance through the comments on mobile.

 

[PiggySmalls]

One thing I haven't seen public is how much and who (NHL or team that drafted the player) makes the player development payments to CHL to cover the junior leagues. I always wondered if that played a factor in having junior players go ahead and sign their ELC.

 

[McDrailers]

Sad story for hockey Newfoundland

 

[Captain Creampuff]

Lol why are people getting upset? Signing him doesn't change anything, he's not eligible to play in the AHL or ECHL. It's really just a formality.

Don't think people upset. Just weird wasting one of 50 contracts on a guy that will still likely play in juniors next year.

 

[Stealth JD]

Don't think people upset. Just weird wasting one of 50 contracts on a guy that will still likely play in juniors next year.

Probably just to give the kid some walking-around money in his pocket. This is a nothing transaction in the grand scheme of things...but still not something that seemed particularly pressing or anticipated. Good for Fitzpatrick I suppose. Armstrong just doing some house-keeping with our G-depth apparently.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Sad story for hockey Newfoundland

Really? Could you explain what you mean by that?

Don't think people upset. Just weird wasting one of 50 contracts on a guy that will still likely play in juniors next year.

Well to Fitzpatrick's credit, he has a lot of tools that could make him into a fantastic goalie. There's his physical attributes, but he's also incredibly mobile and from what I've seen, his vision is superb for someone his age. The problem comes from his consistency, and for stat watchers, his numbers. However it's tough to say if he's playing poorly, or well honestly, unless you watch him live because his team is terrible.

I don't think it's a real concern that we signed him. Especially if he unload some of our other contracts a la Yakupov and Jaskin. But even if we don't, I don't think Fitz is going to be blocking some other signing in the future.

 

[EastonBlues22]

Don't think people upset. Just weird wasting one of 50 contracts on a guy that will still likely play in juniors next year.

He won't count against the 50 SPC limit until he turns 20.

Blues only have something like 33 SPC commitments for next year, anyway (filling out the NHL 23 man roster will take them to 35). They aren't hurting for contract space.

The signing was odd in the sense that it was out of the blue and there was no pressing reason to do it now, but if he was ready, there was no pressing reason not to, either.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

We need a new GM.

Lol. How did i know one of these comments would sneak in here.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

What the hell are we doing? This only makes sense if they know for sure Hutton is gone and Binnington will be up. Even then, why take time away from Husso?

Edit: I'm an idiot. Forgot we could still send him back to juniors.

 

[Celtic Note]

What the hell are we doing? This only makes sense if they know for sure Hutton is gone and Binnington will be up. Even then, why take time away from Husso?

Edit: I'm an idiot. Forgot we could still send him back to juniors.

Fitzpatrick will not make the AHL club. He will probably stay in Jr another year, then probably a year in the ECHL. But if he does end up in the AHL next year, then I don't get this at all.

 

[AVictoryDive]

Fitzpatrick will not make the AHL club. He will probably stay in Jr another year, then probably a year in the ECHL. But if he does end up in the AHL next year, then I don't get this at all.

He can't make the AHL. It's either NHL or back to Juniors next year.