The New York Islanders and Jean-Francois Berube have come to terms on a one year contract. This deal will see the 24-year-old netminder earn $675,000 at the NHL level for the 2016-17 season.
Prior to the 2015-16 season, the Islanders needed a contingency plan for oft-injured Jaroslav Halak. Right around the same time, The Los Angeles Kings were looking for a more NHL-experienced goalie to back up Jonathan Quick which led to the signing of Jhonas Enroth. This created an interesting situation that allowed the Islanders to claim Berube from the team that drafted him in the 2009 draft, just on the wake of a great AHL season by the French Canadian goaltender.
The #Isles and @JRouby have agreed to terms on a one-year deal. Details: https://t.co/ENABqTPwaG pic.twitter.com/lNgUkFExt1
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) July 5, 2016
Berube had a breakout campaign with the Manchester Monarchs during the 2014-15 season that saw the former-Montreal Juniors goaltender compile a 37-9-4 record with a 2.18 goals against average and .913 save percentage. He eventually compiled a 13-3 playoff record before suffering an ankle injury in Game 1 of the Calder Cup finals, but his team ultimately still won the AHL’s top honors.
Due to injury, Berube was only able to play in seven NHL games and five AHL games with the Islanders last season. At the NHL level, Berube compiled a 3-2-0 record with a 2.71 goals against average and .914 save percentage. In his five AHL games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Berube compiled a 4-1-0 record with a 1.25 goals against average and a .960 save percentage. This one year contract will give both Berube and the Islanders more time to assess the match between the two parties.