With the NHL coming back from its vacation break, the Colorado Avalanche introduced they’ve signed goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to a five-year contract extension that carries an AAV of $5.25 million.
Recall, the Avalanche simply traded for Blackwood on December ninth as GM Chris MacFarland overhauled his staff’s goaltending. He first traded for Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators. Then he traded Alexandar Georgiev to San Jose for Blackwood.
NHL Trade: Colorado Avalanche Acquire Mackenzie Blackwood from San Jose
As NHLRumors.com has documented, the Avalanche have been eyeing Blackwood for the reason that begin of the season. Blackwood was set to turn into an unrestricted free agent on the finish of the season and now has discovered a everlasting dwelling with the Avalanche.
MacKenzie Blackwood, signed to a 5x$5.3M extension by COL, is a goalie. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/5IlMwU4sWI
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) December 27, 2024
After the commerce firstly of December, MarFarland said that this was not a rental.
“We would like the participant to get settled in right here. Deal with the hockey, after which, when the time is true, we’ll actually see if there’s one thing that may make sense,” MacFarland stated. “I’d be mendacity if I stated we’re buying him for 4 months of hockey.”
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Properly, after 4 video games with the Avalanche, MacFarland is committing a complete of six years to Blackwood. In these 4 video games, he has a file of 3-1 with 2.03 GAA and .931 save proportion (he received final night time and now has 1.82 GAA and .940 SV%). This season Blackwood now has a file of 10-10 with a 2.75 GAA and .917 save proportion.
As MacFarland said in his press release, he needed Blackwood to regulate to his local weather, undecided 4 video games is sort of sufficient, however MacFarland felt that he suits the model the Avalanche need to play.
“After we acquired Mackenzie just a few weeks in the past, we needed to let him get to Denver, get acclimated to his new staff, new metropolis after which in due time we’d attain out to him and his representatives,” Avalanche basic supervisor Chris MacFarland stated. “We’re thrilled to get this deal accomplished now and have Mackenzie beneath contract for the following six years.
“As I stated after we acquired him, we really feel like Mackenzie has simply gotten higher and higher yearly and he has are available in and accomplished a terrific job with us in his first few begins. He’s a giant physique, athletic goaltender who remains to be younger and nonetheless rising as a goaltender. Stylistically, he has match very well with how we play and has been an ideal slot in our dressing room as nicely.”
This could be a cautionary story for the Avalanche. Bear in mind the Avalanche traded for the New York Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev after they received the Stanley Cup in 2022. Colorado moved on from Darcy Kuemper and went with an unproven goaltender.
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That didn’t work out that nicely for the Avalanche and Georgiev. Sure, Georgiev led the league with 38 wins, however he couldn’t assist the Avalanche obtain success within the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was the rationale the Seattle Kraken beat Colorado in 2023, and although he discovered his type, the tender objective damage the Avalanche in opposition to the Dallas Stars in 2024.
This season didn’t go nicely for Georgiev and thus MacFarland wanted to seek out various choices. Thus, he went and received Mackenzie Blackwood from San Jose. Once more, committing a few years and {dollars} to a goalie who has but to play a playoff sport is a bit dangerous.
The #GoAvsGo signed 28 y/o G Blackwood to five yr $5.25M Cap Hit extension:
Yr 1 $5.25M Wage
Yr 2 $4.25M Wage & $1M Signing Bonus
Yr 3 to five: $5.25M Wage6 Group No Commerce Clause all through
Was pending UFA.
Rep’d by Andy Scott @OctagonHockey
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) December 27, 2024
Blackwood has the expertise to be an elite goaltender, however his numbers look nice on unhealthy groups. He may have been the beginning goaltender with the New Jersey Devils, however towards the top, he had a falling out with them. Then in San Jose, Blackwood confirmed the potential to develop with a younger staff.
Once San Jose acquired Yaroslav Askarov from the Nashville Predators, certainly one of Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek turned expendable. Blackwood is in a scenario he likes with Colorado however can be out to show he can get it accomplished with a playoff caliber staff.
NHL Rumors: Colorado Avalanche, and the San Jose Sharks
Blackwood’s numbers look nice when he faces a variety of pictures. He received’t hand over as many unhealthy targets as Georgiev, however he provides up his fair proportion of them. Once more, each GM has their very own approach of doing issues, however historical past has confirmed these five-year at $5 million AAV goalie contracts don’t age nicely.
Mackenzie Blackwood is out to show the naysayers mistaken and alter the cycle in Colorado. Chris MacFarland is taking an enormous gamble on Blackwood for 5 years together with his harm historical past, let’s see if the danger is well worth the reward.
