Lightning sign Ryan Fanti to one-year contract
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed unrestricted free agent goaltender Ryan Fanti to a one-year contract, according to PuckPedia.
Earlier this season, Fanti attended Lightning training camp on a tryout basis before later joining the minor-league affiliated Syracuse Crunch. With the AHL club, the 6-foot-3 goaltender saw seven appearances in which he went 3-1-0 while posting a .946 save percentage and 1.45 goals-against average.
Beyond the Crunch, the majority of Fanti’s playing time came with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears where through 37 outings he posted an 18-13-5 showing coupled with a .907 save percentage, 2.71 goals-against average, and one shutout. Fanti then put up a strong showing in the postseason where through four contests he compiled a .935 save percentage with a 2.08 goals-against average.
A 25-year-old native of Thunder Bay, Ont., Fanti has spent part of four seasons in the AHL where through 16 total appearances he is 4-6-1 with a .907 save percentage and 2.85 goals-against average. Fanti is also 42-35-6 through three seasons and 88 outings in the ECHL in which he has registered a .903 save percentage, 3.02 goals-against average, and three shutouts.
A graduate of the NCAA’s Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, Fanti spent two seasons in the collegiate ranks from 2020-22 where through 57 appearances he found the win column on 31 occasions while coming up with a .921 save percentage, 2.01 goals-against average, and seven shutouts. In 2021-22, Fanti was recognized as the NCHC’s Goaltender of the Year after he went 20-12-4 with a .929 save percentage, 1.83 goals-against average, and seven shutouts.
An undrafted free agent, Fanti originally signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers in 2022. Fanti then become an unrestricted free agent last June after he did not receiving a qualifying offer.
Per PuckPedia, Fanti becomes one of five goaltenders under contract with the Lightning next season, joining Andrei Vasilevskiy, Jonas Johansson, Brandon Halverson, and Harrison Meneghin.