Lightning sign Ryan Fanti to one-year contract

On Tuesday, Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois announced the team has signed goaltender Ryan Fanti to a one-year, two-way contract.

This is the 25-year-old’s first NHL contract since his two-year, entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers came to an end at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. The Oilers didn’t extend a qualifying offer to Fanti, leading him to sign an American Hockey League contract with the Lightning’s primary affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

Fanti played a handful of games for the Crunch this year, posting a 3-1-0 record in seven games, with a 1.45 goals-against average and .946 save percentage. He spent most of the season with Tampa’s ECHL farm team, the Orlando Solar Bears. In 37 games, Fanti went 18-13-5 with a 2.71 GAA, a .907 SV% and one shutout. He played in four games during the Kelly Cup Playoffs, going 1-2 with a 2.08 GAA and .935 SV%.

In his two full seasons with the Oilers organization, the Thunder Bay native played for both the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL, as well as the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets. In 16 AHL appearances, he has a record of 4-6-1 with a 2.85 GAA and a .907 SV%.

In 88 ECHL contests, Fanti has a record of 42-35-6 with a 3.02 GAA, .903 SV% and three shutouts. He also has a 4-5 postseason record with a 1.61 GAA, a .950 SV% and two shutouts.

Prior to his professional career, Fanti was part of one of the most dominant teams in college hockey in recent memory. He backstopped Minnesota Duluth for two seasons, winning the NCHC Championship in 2021-22, the same year he was named an All-NCHC First-Team All-Star, the conference tournament’s most valuable player, and the NCHC Goaltender of the Year.