The Colorado Avalanche, battling for consistency and a wild-card playoff spot, made a significant move to address their goaltending issues by acquiring Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks on Monday. The trade is part of a larger shakeup aimed at solidifying the net for the 2022 Stanley Cup champions.
Details of the Trade
The Avalanche received:
Mackenzie Blackwood (G)
Givani Smith (F)
In exchange, the Sharks acquired:
Alexandar Georgiev (G)
Nikolai Kovalenko (F, rookie)
A 2025 fifth-round pick
A 2026 second-round pick
The Avalanche also retained $476,000 of Georgiev’s salary in the deal.
Colorado’s Goalie Troubles
This season has been challenging for the Avalanche’s goaltending corps:
Colorado ranks second-worst in the NHL with an 88.8% team save percentage, despite being in the top 10 for fewest scoring chances and shots allowed per 60 minutes.
The Avs have already used four different goalies this season, compared to just three across all 82 games last year.
Why Mackenzie Blackwood?
Blackwood, 26, brings stability to a beleaguered netminding unit:
Record: 6-9-3 with a 3.00 GAA.
Save Percentage: .910, ranking 12th among goalies with 10+ games played.
Goals Saved Above Expected (GSVA): 3.9, placing him 20th in the NHL.
Though Blackwood is a pending unrestricted free agent, his performance this season indicates an ability to help bridge the gap while the Avalanche sort out their long-term goaltending plans.
Colorado’s Recent Moves in Net
The Blackwood trade follows a November 30 deal with the Nashville Predators, where Colorado acquired backup goalie Scott Wedgewood, who has already delivered a 4-0 shutout and helped secure a 5-4 rally win over Buffalo.
Implications for the Sharks
For the rebuilding Sharks, the trade adds:
Alexandar Georgiev, who averaged 39 wins per season in his first two years with the Avalanche. Georgiev joins Vitek Vanecek in San Jose’s goaltending tandem.
Nikolai Kovalenko, a 25-year-old rookie and former KHL standout, who has posted four goals and eight points in 28 games this season.
The Sharks now have seven pending unrestricted free agents, including Georgiev and Vanecek, potentially positioning the team to gain more draft assets before the trade deadline.
What’s Next for Colorado?
As the Avalanche sit at 16-13-0, tied with the Edmonton Oilers in points but holding the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot, Blackwood’s arrival represents a calculated effort to stabilize their playoff push. With Blackwood’s pending free agency and the team’s defensive strength, Colorado is banking on short-term improvement while leaving room for further adjustments.
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