Jets sign goalie Brossoit with $1.2M deal

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This article was published 25/05/2019 (2305 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Laurent Brossoit’s best save of the year involves his career.

The 26-year-old goaltender found his game with the Winnipeg Jets last season, and has earned a significant pay raise as a result.

Brossoit, a pending restricted free agent, signed a one-year deal Saturday worth $1.225 million. That’s nearly double the $650,000 he made on his previous one-year deal. Brossoit is coming off a terrific campaign with the Jets, going 13-6-2 with a 2.52 GAA and .925 save percentage in relief of No. 1 netminder Connor Hellebuyck.

“It didn’t take too long. We got into negotiation talks rather quickly after the season and more quickly over the last two weeks here. It was easy. We were all on the same page and I’m just grateful for another opportunity with what I’m assuming is going to be another good team, a contending team. And that’s what it’s all about, trying to place yourself in opportunities, and a good opportunity to play on a good team,” Brossoit said Saturday evening during a conference call. “It was an easy sell.”

Brossoit, from Port Alberni, B.C., got off to a blistering start, going 10-0-1 through his first 11 games with a 1.97 GAA and .946 SV% that had him among the league leaders. But like his team, Brossoit cooled off considerably in the second half. A lower-body injury on Feb. 22 in Vegas essentially spelled the end of his season. He made it back in time for the playoffs, but didn’t see any action.

Brossoit had struggled to find a home with the Edmonton Oilers, losing the backup position and ending up in the American Hockey League during the 2017-18 campaign.

“It’s a complete 180. To go from one summer starting to doubt your future in the NHL, to a feeling like this. Where I’m going into the summer and going into next season with a lot of confidence. Knowing all along I’ve had the tools and I can be effective at this level. To have that mentality going forward, I just think my potential and my ceiling is even higher than I thought it was,” Brossoit said.

He got himself in terrific shape and utilized new techniques under the guidance of goalie guru Adam Francilia in B.C., who works with a number of NHL goaltenders, including Hellebuyck. Brossoit also credited Jets’ goalie coach Wade Flaherty for his turnaround. 

“We think the game the same way and have similar personalities in terms of how laid back he is. I like working with a guy like that,” he said. “I respect him a lot and am glad to be going into familiar territory. It’s going to be really nice to have the same goalie coach, who knows me even better after a full season together.”

Brossoit is the first of 14 RFAs to ink a new deal with the organization. Other notable names include Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor and Jacob Trouba.

“I’m not going to come in with the same mentality. I’m definitely going to come in with a hell of a lot more confidence,” Brossoit said.

“Now that I’ve proved that to myself, I can almost guarantee that I’m going to continue to build and continue to move forward and continue to grow.”

His signing also raises questions about the future of goalie Eric Comrie, who is also an RFA. The 23-year-old has spent the majority of the past four years with the Manitoba Moose and is coming off a strong season in the AHL. However, with young prospect Mikhail Berdin pushing for full-time work, it’s unlikely Comrie would be slotted in for a fifth year in the minors.

Perhaps a change of scenery will be in order this summer. Comrie has struggled at the NHL level so far, going 2-3 with a 4.20 GAA and .870 SV% in five career starts spread over three seasons, including one last year.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg