RALEIGH, NC. -Of the 22 players at this year's Prospects Development Camp, 19 were drafted by the Hurricanes.
Two of the three others (Josh Nadeau and Max Namestnikov) are invitees, hoping to stay on the radar of the organization moving forward.
Then there's Yaniv Perets.
The 23-year-old netminder from Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec went undrafted during his year of eligibility, but landed a two-year, entry-level contract with the team in April after a pair of spectacular seasons at Quinnipiac University.
And while Perets had an important set of eyes on him during those two years, the deal didn't come together just because he was Skyler Brind'Amour's roommate.
"I watched two years of (Quinnipiac Hockey) and he played every game. Every game. And they won every game," Rod Brind'Amour glowingly raved of Perets on Tuesday. "So it was like, okay, they've got a good team, but at some point, you've got to trust what you see."
What Brind'Amour saw was the 6-foot-1 netminder post a record of 56-9-5, with an alarmingly low 1.34 goals against average (GAA) and a staggering .935 save percentage (SV%).
The numbers are eye-popping, but not surprising to some.
"He's very detailed with his tracking. His focus is good. He's very smart positionally... He's a gamer," Canes Goaltending Coach Jason Muzzatti shared as his review. "The one thing college affords guys is the opportunity to develop. You're there for a while, you get a little bit older and you never know when it starts to come together."
It certainly came together for Perets during his time in Hamden, Connecticut, ending the 2021-22 season with a new NCAA record for the lowest GAA in a single season. Cementing his number at just 1.17, the previous benchmark was held by longtime NHL netminder Jimmy Howard, who set it back in 2004.
"I watched him play for two years and I didn't see a bad goal go in," Brind'Amour continued of his knowledge. "You can try and find fault by saying he's not a big kid, this and that, and you can say all the things, but they won, and there's something to be said about bringing in guys that have won."
Perets produced 21 shutouts over two years, sometimes seeing as few as five shots over the course of 60 minutes while the team in front of him dominated its ECAC competition.
"He's consistent and we look for that. It's hard for young goalies (to be that)," Muzzatti supplemented. "His team played a good, all-around game, but it's almost harder sometimes when maybe you're not getting a lot of work and you have to stay dialed in. It can be very challenging. It's a model of consistency."
Although the reviews and the statistics tell a story that gives a lot to be excited about when it comes to Perets, when you talk to him, he's only focused on this current week.
He'll acknowledge that he's had quite a bit of success to this point, but says the real work lies ahead.
"I'm just trying to take in as much information as I can. They have a great culture here and they love competing," the netminder said with a smile after the team's on-ice activities. "I'm just trying to keep feeding off of and learning from that."
Growing up idolizing the position as a whole, with Carey Price being his admitted favorite, he's eager to showcase the work that caught the attention of Brind'Amour and the Canes' scouting staff.
"I still feel like you have to show up every single day. You can know someone, but if they're not going to be a good fit, then it's not going to work," Perets said of his preexisting connections to the organization. "I'm fortunate that they saw something in me that they think I can help them, so I'm just excited to come in here and do my job right."
Set to begin his pro career in the fall, it remains to be seen where exactly the goaltender will start his journey. Carolina does not have an American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate for the upcoming season, and also touts Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta, and Pyotr Kochetkov as NHL-ready options between the pipes.
None of that is a concern for Perets though, who looks forward to the process with a chipper attitude, wherever it takes him.
"It's just about getting as good as I can one day at a time. I have to keep coming to work and doing the hard stuff."
