Kevin Mandolese

Kevin Mandolese (born August 22, 2000) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected in the sixth round, 157th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL entry draft.

Playing career Junior Growing up in Blainville, Quebec, Mandolese played minor hockey for the Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix in the Québec Midget AAA League (QMAAA) before being selected by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) entry draft. He recorded his first career QMJHL win on October 9, 2016, in a 5–3 victory over the Charlottetown Islanders.

During his sophomore QMJHL season in 2017–18, Mandolese posted a goals against average (GAA) of 3.46 and a .884 save percentage (SV%). As a result of his play, Mandolese was ranked second amongst all North American goaltenders eligible for the annual National Hockey League (NHL) entry draft. After being selected by the Ottawa Senators in 2018 (157th overall), he attended the team's rookie camp before returning to the Screaming Eagles.

Over the course of his final year of major junior in 2019–20, Mandolese experienced a breakout season during the shortened campaign and became the third Eagles goaltender to play in his 150th regular-season game, behind Marc-André Fleury and Olivier Roy. Collectively, he led all goaltenders league-wide in SV% and ranked third in GAA. For his efforts, he was named as finalist for the CHL Goaltender of the Year Award. He, along with teammate Egor Sokolov, also became the first two franchise players to be simultaneous league First Team All-Stars. On April 13, 2020, Mandolese signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Senators organization.

Professional Initially assigned to the Senators' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Belleville Senators to begin the 2020–21 season, Mandolese earned his first professional win in a 3–2 victory over the Toronto Marlies at Canadian Tire Centre on May 21, 2021. That September, he was invited to the Senators' 2021 training camp, but was ultimately sent to Belleville for the 2021–22 season. Mandolese also briefly played with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL.

After splitting time between Belleville and the ECHL's Allen Americans to begin the 2022–23 season, Mandolese was recalled by the Senators on January 26, 2023, following injuries to goaltenders Cam Talbot and Mads Søgaard. However, after interim starter Anton Forsberg was himself injured, he was called upon to man the crease and subsequently made his NHL debut on February 14, 2023, against the New York Islanders. Stopping 46 of 48 shots on goal, Mandolese secured the 3–2 victory in a shootout. Thereafter, he made his second start in a 3–1 loss to the Boston Bruins on February 20, prior to returning to the AHL ranks. Being recalled again the following month, Mandolese appeared in his third game for the Senators in a 5–1 loss to the Calgary Flames on March 12.

Despite attending Ottawa's 2023 training camp, Mandolese was assigned to Belleville for much of the 2023–24 season. He was recalled by Ottawa and remained on their active roster from January 31 to February 13, but did not see any game action.

In the following offseason, Mandolese, now a pending restricted free agent, was traded by the Senators along with a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche on July 15, 2024. Mandolese was subsequently placed on waivers during training camp and joined the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, for the 2024–25 season.

As an unrestricted free agent from the Avalanche at the conclusion of his contract, Mandolese went unsigned over the summer free agency period. On September 28, 2025, he was signed to a professional tryout (PTO) with the Laval Rocket. After being released by the Rocket, Mandolese then joined the Charlotte Checkers, top affiliate of the Florida Panthers, on a PTO basis in mid-October. Making a lone appearance for the Checkers on November 8, 2025, he was later released and was signed under similar circumstances by the Syracuse Crunch in early December. By month's end, Mandolese agreed to terms overseas with HKM Zvolen of the Slovak Extraliga for the remainder of the 2025–26 season.

After just a single season abroad, Mandolese ultimately returned to North America, signing a one-year AHL contract with the Laval Rocket on July 1, 2026.

International play

Internationally, Mandolese first represented Hockey Canada as part of team Canada Red at the 2016 World U-17 Hockey Challenge where his team ultimately finished in sixth place.

In April 2018, he was named to the national under-18 team for the annual IIHF World U18 Championships, but did not appear in tournament play.

Personal life Born in Ottawa, Mandolese and his family moved to Blainville located on Montreal's North Shore when he was six years old. While playing in the QMJHL, he attended Cape Breton University and majored in business.

Career statistics Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP W L OTL MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV% 2015–16 Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix QMAAA 28 21 3 3 1,541 60 3 2.34 .910 10 6 4 582 32 1 3.30 .899 2016–17 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 27 16 8 0 1,469 85 0 3.47 .890 3 0 2 149 12 0 4.84 .876 2017–18 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 37 15 13 2 1,769 63 1 3.46 .884 5 1 4 307 20 0 3.91 .875 2018–19 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 50 29 12 5 2,846 136 3 2.87 .895 11 5 6 688 29 1 2.53 .916 2019–20 Cape Breton Eagles QMJHL 37 26 8 1 2,115 82 2 2.33 .925 — — — — — — — — 2020–21 Belleville Senators AHL 9 3 6 0 506 34 0 4.03 .888 — — — — — — — — 2021–22 Belleville Senators AHL 17 9 5 0 885 46 0 3.12 .901 — — — — — — — — 2021–22 Atlanta Gladiators ECHL 6 1 4 1 359 16 0 2.68 .916 — — — — — — — — 2022–23 Belleville Senators AHL 17 6 8 3 1,007 56 0 3.33 .890 — — — — — — — — 2022–23 Ottawa Senators NHL 3 1 2 0 182 10 0 3.29 .916 — — — — — — — — 2022–23 Allen Americans ECHL 7 5 1 0 410 18 0 2.64 .927 9 4 5 498 26 1 3.13 .914 2023–24 Belleville Senators AHL 23 10 9 3 1133 58 1 3.07 .901 — — — — — — — — 2023–24 Allen Americans ECHL 2 0 2 0 119 7 0 3.53 .918 — — — — — — — — 2024–25 Colorado Eagles AHL 19 11 6 0 1045 50 1 2.87 .903 — — — — — — — — 2025–26 Charlotte Checkers AHL 1 1 0 0 60 2 0 2.00 .933 — — — — — — — — 2025–26 Syracuse Crunch AHL 1 1 0 0 60 1 0 1.00 .933 — — — — — — — — 2025–26 HKM Zvolen Slovak 11 7 4 0 663 35 0 3.17 .914 2 0 2 120 5 0 2.51 .688NHL totals 3 1 2 0 182 10 0 3.29 .916 — — — — — — — —

International Year Team Event Result GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% 2016 Canada Red U17 6th 3 1 2 0 176 6 1 2.04 .931 2018 Canada U18 5thDNP Junior totals 3 1 2 0 176 6 1 2.04 .931

Awards and honours Award Year Ref CHL CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2018 QMJHL First All-Star Team 2020 Goaltender of the Year 2020