Welcome back to our new series for the summer of 2023 for the Columbus Blue Jackets. We are checking in with notable prospects throughout the organization.
In case you missed Part 1 of the series, we took a look at Jet Greaves’ season and what to expect from him moving forward. Today we will continue to go down the goaltending depth chart on the Blue Jackets by looking at the only other goalie that has a contract in hand.
What was once a major strength on the team has become full of question marks. Sergei Bobrovsky moved on and helped take the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final in 2022-23. Since his departure from Columbus, the Blue Jackets haven’t been able to fill his shoes. Joonas Korpisalo signed a long-term deal in Ottawa. Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov hope to have better seasons in 2023-24. The previously mentioned Greaves is in line to be the number-one in Cleveland. However the fourth goalie on the depth chart isn’t eligible for the AHL in 2023-24 due to his age. It’ll either be Columbus or the OHL and we know it’s likely not going to be on the Blue Jackets.
Nolan Lalonde Check-In
How Acquired: Signed by the Blue Jackets as a free agent on Oct 2, 2022.
2022-23 Teams: Erie Otters (OHL).
2022-23 Records: 11-20-2, 4.10 GAA, .868 save percentage in 41 games with the Erie Otters.
2023-24 Contract Status: Has three more seasons left on his current deal at $796,111 since his contract was slide eligible. He will become an RFA after the 2025-26 season.
Expected 2023-24 Teams: Erie Otters.
Expected Role in 2023-24: Number-one goalie with the Otters with potential to be a workhorse.
2022-23 Season Recap
Lalonde’s 2022-23 season couldn’t have started any better. He was an invite to Blue Jackets’ Training Camp but didn’t just settle for being there. When he got into games, he made an impact.
Most notably, Lalonde relieved Pavel Cajan in a preseason game in Pittsburgh against the Penguins. He stopped 19 of 21 shots faced and wasn’t beaten until there was just 55 seconds left in regulation. The Penguins ultimately won the game 3-2 in overtime but he was sensational.
This earned Lalonde a start in St. Louis on Sept 29. All he did was stop all 17 shots faced in just over 29 minutes of play. It was the equivalent of one complete game in two stints but he made a huge impression on management.
Three days later on Oct 2, the Blue Jackets signed Lalonde to his entry-level contract. Although he went undrafted, he impressed enough to earn that contract. The thought was his confidence from Blue Jackets’ camp would carry over to his OHL season. It didn’t quite work out that way.
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Although Lalonde had some good moments in 2022-23, his season was mostly a struggle which included injuries and inconsistency. The Otters as a team did get off to a good start but ultimately fell back and missed out on the playoffs.
The Otters had to make a trade in-season to get another goaltender given Lalonde’s injuries and struggles. They acquired Kyle Downey to fill in the gap. Given all of the circumstances, one wondered if Lalonde was in the right place mentally especially seeing the team acquire a goalie.
If a game got out of hand, it got out of hand quickly with multiple goals against in a short amount of time. This also contributed to the thought about being in the right place mentally. He had to deal with the pressure of signing an NHL contract and showing that the team made the right decision.
With Lalonde, the issue isn’t his talent. When everything is right, he’s confident and can hang in with anyone. But the ability to shake off rough patches is another matter. It’s a matter of being able to have the right mindset no matter what’s going on around him. That part was a work in progress in 2022-23.
2023-24 Season Outlook
Lalonde will enter 2023-24 as the number-one option in Erie looking for a major bounce back season. The Otters are much improved all throughout the lineup highlighted by the addition of first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer.
Lalonde will have every opportunity to put last season behind him and prove that it was just a one-off. Now that the high of signing his first contract is in the rearview mirror, he can now focus on being the player many think he can be. He has a lot to gain if he is able to put a strong year together.
The Otters want nothing more than to return to the OHL Playoffs. If they are to do that, Lalonde will need to be one of the big reasons why. The start of the 2023-24 season is a clean slate for him. How he does with a fresh start could determine how his professional path with the Blue Jackets goes in future seasons.
Biggest Questions in 2023-24
- Can Lalonde overcome the mental hurdles? This will be the story to watch all season. There will always be adversity within the game of hockey. But how one handles that adversity usually dictates how a season will go. Lalonde needs to show that he’s ready for the task of being a true number-one goalie who can elevate his team when they’re not playing their best. He’s always had the hype. Now can he live up to it?
- How will the rotation in Erie work? Lalonde is not eligible for the AHL since he doesn’t turn 20 until Feb 2024. So he will join both Downey and Jacob Gibbons for playing time in net. What if Lalonde struggles again early? How will Stan Butler handle his goalies? With Butler on board and a full offseason to prepare, don’t be surprised if the Otters become a much-better defensive team. That could benefit Lalonde if he doesn’t have to face as many high-quality looks. Ideally the Otters get the best version of Lalonde and they can run a normal rotation. But performance will dictate that.
Final Thoughts
The 2023-24 season for Lalonde is a big one to prove last season was not the norm. He has a chance to be a difference maker for the Otters while positioning himself to impress the Blue Jackets. He just needs to go out there and take care of business.
As the current fourth on the depth chart based on signed contracts, Lalonde could play his way into the conversation for the Monsters starting in 2024-25 and perhaps even into the plans of the Blue Jackets after that. Until someone runs with the opportunity, goaltending will always be a question with this team.
For now, Lalonde has a new start and a chance to impact the game. That’s pretty good for someone who is still just 19.