Mackenzie Blackwood signed a five-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.
Monetary phrases weren’t disclosed relating to the contract, which begins subsequent season.
The 28-year-old goalie, who might have grow to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, is 3-1-0 with a 2.03 goals-against common and .931 save share in 4 begins with the Avalanche after being acquired in a commerce with the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9. Colorado additionally obtained ahead Givani Smith and a fifth-round draft decide within the 2027 NHL Draft with goalie Alexandar Georgiev, ahead Nikolai Kovalenko, a fifth-round decide within the 2025 NHL Draft and a second-round decide within the 2026 second-round decide heading to San Jose.
“I’m fairly enthusiastic about that,” Blackwood mentioned. “After I discovered they had been providing me a contract round Christmastime … we hashed it out fairly rapidly, and I’m very excited to be right here.
“Have a look across the room. There’s a number of gamers which can be actually good. It’s an excellent tradition. It’s an excellent group. Welcomed me in a short time, and it’s a first-class group. So I simply thought it’s a fantastic alternative for me. I’m blissful to play right here, and every part simply labored out effectively.”
Chosen by the New Jersey Devils within the second spherical (No. 42) of the 2015 NHL Draft, Blackwood is 84-92-25 with a 3.05 GAA, .905 save share and 11 shutouts in 219 video games by means of eight seasons with the Devils, Sharks and Avalanche.
He’s 9-10-3 with a 2.83 GAA, .913 save share and one shutout in 19 video games (17 begins) with San Jose and Colorado this season.
“After we acquired Mackenzie just a few weeks in the past, we needed to let him get to Denver, get acclimated to his new crew, new metropolis after which in due time we’d attain out to him and his representatives,” Avalanche common supervisor Chris MacFarland mentioned. “We’re thrilled to get this deal completed now and have Mackenzie below contract for the subsequent six years.
“As I mentioned after we acquired him, we really feel like Mackenzie has simply gotten higher and higher yearly and he has are available and completed a fantastic job with us in his first few begins. He’s an enormous physique, athletic goaltender who continues 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 effectively.”
Colorado has revamped their goaltending, having additionally acquired Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators on Nov. 30 for Justus Annunen and a sixth-round decide within the 2025 NHL Draft.
“He’s are available, and in a brief time period, and [has been] as marketed. Form of solidifies our group, and it’s good to know that he’s going to be round and that our future and that’s locked in with him and now Wedgewood for subsequent yr and Blackwood past that,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar mentioned. “So I feel our guys are excited. He’s excited to be right here. He’s performed effectively since he’s been right here. Helped type of flip issues round for us. So effectively deserved, and actual excited for him.”
The Avalanche (21-15-0) are third within the Central Division, 9 factors behind the first-place Winnipeg Jets.
NHL.com unbiased correspondent Ryan Boulding contributed to this report
