Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25: #T-21 Kevin Mandolese
Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The 23-year old netminder from Ottawa adds to Colorado’s goaltending depth. The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by Mile High Hockey staff members. Six writers have ranked players under the age of 25 in the Colorado Avalanche organization as of August 1, 2024. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.
Goaltender Kevin Mandolese is a new addition to the Top 25 Under 25 list, as the Colorado Avalanche acquired his rights as a Restricted Free Agent for a 2026 sixth-round pick seventh-round pick swap earlier this summer, and eventually signed him to a one-year two-way contract with an AAV of $775k. The 23-year old goaltender was part of the Senators organization and obviously not ranked on our poll last year, but ended up being tied for the #21 spot on our 2024 list.
Mandolese spent the 2023-24 season with both the Belleville Senators of the AHL, and the Allen Americans of the ECHL. He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 2018 with the #157 overall pick, and after his junior career in the QMJHL he had spent his career in the Ottawa system up until the move to Colorado. In his career with Belleville, Mandolese has posted a 3.30 GAA, 0.896 SV%, and one shutout.
Pure robbery from Kevin Mandolese. @BellevilleSens pic.twitter.com/cxMGFEvzzk— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) December 26, 2023
Although Mandolese did not see any time in the NHL this past year with the Ottawa Senators, he did get a little bit of NHL experience in the 2022-23 campaign. Mandolese was one of seven goaltenders used by Ottawa that season and played three NHL games during his brief stint, posting a 3.29 GAA, 0.916 SV%, with no shutouts. During his NHL debut, Mandolese put up a 46 save performance with a 0.958 SV%, which helped Ottawa secure the win in a shootout against the New York Islanders.
1st NHL start ✅46 saves ✅1st NHL win ✅Family in attendance ✅WHAT A NIGHT for Kevin Mandolese! pic.twitter.com/1t6wvKlY0q— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) February 15, 2023
Given his experience, Mandolese is probably hoping to serve as Colorado’s third goaltender option for the 2024-25 season. While he doesn’t have a lot of NHL experience, you arguably don’t need a third goaltender to have a lot of experience, just someone who can serve as a sort of ‘break glass in case of emergency’ option, in case there’s an injury or illness that affects the full-time NHL goaltenders during the year. Mandolese will be more than fine in that role for Colorado this upcoming season.
2024 Top 25 Under 25
#23 Zakhar Bardakov
#24 Taylor Makar
#25 Maros Jedlicka...
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