Former Gophers goalie Jack LaFontaine becomes a free agent as Hurricanes don't tender him a contract

Jack LaFontaine became an unrestricted free agent Monday when the Carolina Hurricanes declined to extend the former Gophers goalie a qualifying offer.

The 24-year-old from Mississauga, Ontario, was a restricted free agent. He caused a stir in January when he departed the Gophers in the middle of the season for the NHL, receiving a contract that paid him $750,000 at the NHL level and $70,000 in the American Hockey League, along with an $88,500 signing bonus. LaFontaine won the Mike Richter Award as the nation's top goalie in 2020-21, and he had started all 20 games for the Gophers at the time of his departure.

"Minnesota is always going to be a home to me. The people here and my teammates here, they were just tremendous," he said at the time. "It's bittersweet, obviously. I get this great opportunity, but I'm also leaving behind a little piece of my heart."

But he only played in two games for the Hurricanes, starting one, when he gave up seven goals on 38 shots in a 7-4 loss at New Jersey on Jan. 22.

The 2016 third-round draft pick played in 13 games for Chicago of the AHL and two for Norfolk of the ECHL.

Without LaFontaine, Justen Close took over in net for the Gophers, going 14-5 with three shutouts, a .925 save percentage and a 1.95 goals-against average, and the team advanced to the Frozen Four before losing to Minnesota State Mankato.