Avalanche trade for third goaltender

The Avs continue adding to its crease depth.

Finally, there are some things to talk about for the Colorado Avalanche!

On Monday afternoon, the team announced a trade with the Ottawa Senators for the rights to goaltender Kevin Mandolese and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Going the other way to Ottawa is a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Mandolese, the 23-year-old Canadian netminder, has spent most of his playing time in the AHL with his time with the Sens but has also played at both the ECHL and the NHL levels. In his three career games with the Senators, he posted a 3.29 goals against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage (SV%).

His lone NHL win came against the New York Islanders, only allowing two goals on 48 shots. But, his last start against the Calgary Flames was less than ideal, giving up five goals on 39 shots.

Through four seasons and 66 games in the AHL, he posted a 3.37 GAA and a .895 SV% on average. This is where Mandolese will likely be housed as the third-choice goaltender behind Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen in the system. Hence, he would be with the Colorado Eagles in Loveland, paired up with Trent Miner.

The sixth-round draft pick from the 2018 NHL Draft is an RFA and will need a new contract. However, based on his previous deals and the limited cap space the Avs have, this will likely be a league-minimum deal. The roster continues to be filled with necessities, and this happens to be another one.

Will Mandolese play with the Avalanche this season and give the opponent evil eyes? Let us know in the comments below!