LaFontaine leaves the Gophers hockey and makes a deal with Carolina Hurricanes

Suddenly, the Gophers men’s hockey team no longer has the services of the best goalkeepers on one of the university discs.

In an astonishing motion, fifth-year-old Jack LaFontaine signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL on Sunday, ending the day of his Gophers career after supporting the Minnesota series sweep in Michigan State.

LaFontaine, the reigning Mike Richter award winner as the best goalkeeper in the country, has started all 20 matches at the Gophers this season, setting a record of 12-8 with 2.69 goals against the average and 0.900 rebounds in a single shutout. Last season, he won 22-7-0 with 1.79 GAA, a 0.934 rebound and five stops in 29 matches on the way to earn the No. 1 All-America team honors.

Hurricanes negotiated this summer with LaFontaine, who decided to return to Minnesota for the fifth term available because of the NCAA’s COVID-19 pledge. Carolina has dealt with several goalkeeper injuries throughout his organization, and LaFontaine, the 2016 third-round draft selection, will help fill Frederick Andersen and Antti Ranta, who was late in Hurricanes on Saturday. Goalkeepers Eetu Makeniemi and Beck Warm of the Chicago Wolves of Carolina’s AHL have also been injured.

LaFontaine earns $ 750,000 at the NHL and $ 70,000 at the AHL, plus a $ 250,000 sign-up bonus.

“As the current recipient of the Mike Richter Award, Jack has shown that he is ready to take the next steps in his career,” Hurricanes CEO Don Waddell said in a statement. “We love his sportiness and consistency, and we can’t wait for him to start his professional career.”

NHL teams don’t usually sign contracts with college students in the middle of the season, and the LaFontaine contract is the most prominent example of Gophers after striker Kyle Okposo signed a contract with the New York Islanders in mid-2007-2008.

Gophers coach Bob Motzko made a brief statement on Sunday night.

“We want to thank Jack for his contribution to the Gophers program and wish him all the best as he begins his career,” Motzko said in a statement.

LaFontainen’s departure leaves Gophers with very little experience and one of his three captains. Jared Moe, last season’s backup LaFontaine, moved to Wisconsin in the interim. This season’s guard, junior Justen Close, has not yet started a college match, although he played in show wins from St. Thomas and the U.S. national team development program. He blocked 13 shots last 15 with 15 shots and then 25 blocked with 28 shots. Monday. In the 2020-21 season, Close played 20 minutes and scored two goals with seven shots against Wisconsin. Kindersley, of Saskatchewan, played in three match-fixing matches as a freshman in the 2019-2020 season and scored three goals in 14 shots.

Behind Closen in Gophers ’pecking order this season is freshman Brennan Boynton, a former distinctive player at Champlin Park who led the USHL in regular season wins (26) and shutouts (three) and achieved a 2.43 GAA and 0.901 rebound percentage. Fargo Force in the 2020-21 season. Boynton hasn’t played this season yet.

LaFontaine’s departure will further affect the Gophers list, which could be without distinctive strikers Ben Meyers and Matthew Knies and defender Brock Faber, who are expected to invite the U.S. team to the Winter Olympics.