The Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks have made a trade. Colorado gets Sharks goalie Mackenzie Blackwood and Givani Smith, as well as Alexander Georgiev's fifth-round pick, Nikolai Kovalenko, and a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2025 fifth-round pick. The Avalanche also keep 14 percent of Georgiev's salary in trades.
We traded Alexander Georgiev and Nikolai Kovalenko to the San Jose Sharks for Mackenzie Blackwood and Givani Smith. pic.twitter.com/04rknVkWGX
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 9, 2024
This has been a long awaited rumor between the Sharks and the Avalanche. At the beginning of the season when the Avalanche's goaltenders were struggling, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet via NHLRumors.com had speculated that the Avalanche wanted to improve their avalanche and Blackwood was their main target.
Mackenzie Blackwood was traded from the San Jose Sharks to the Colorado Avalanche according to @Sheng_Peng. It's clear that Colorado is still looking for a (good) goalkeeper. pic.twitter.com/ThQpGW5clv
– Rono (@RonoAnalyst) December 9, 2024
Blackwood showed his ability to be the best goalkeeper in the league, but he was in bad teams and this trend continued with the Sharks.
Mackenzie Blackwood traded on #GoAvsGo
He's having a strong year on a bad team. His dream power is great if he can continue to play at this level in a team that can score a lot of goals. pic.twitter.com/XHRZ7SCTIQ
– Frozen Tools (@FrozenTools) December 9, 2024
As the trade becomes a reality, many wonder if he can translate these numbers to a contender. The Avalanche recently traded goaltender Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators for Justus Annunen. Wedgewood just shut down his former club the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night.
NHL Rumors: The Colorado Avalanche are looking to improve their goaltending
Like Blackwood, Georgiev is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Colorado is trying to contend for the Stanley Cup and with the way Georgiev started the season, there was a need for improvement. However, Georgiev has been turning it around lately, and so has the Avalanche defense in front of him, but GM Chris MacFarland saw a need.
Statistics for 2024-25:
Alexander Georgiev: 8-7-0 | 3.38 GAA | .874 SV%
Mackenzie Blackwood: 6-9-3 | 3.00GAA | .911 SV%Giving the Avs a .911 goaltender is a huge improvement. Let's not forget that part #GoAvsGo
– Drew Livingstone (@ProducerDrew_) December 9, 2024
Even though Georgiev has posted the most wins over the past few seasons with 38, he has yet to save the season, with the Avalanche considering acquiring him from the New York Rangers after winning the Stanley Cup in 2022.
NHL Rumors: The Colorado Avalanche could be in the net
Now the Avalanche are hoping that Blackwood and Wedgewood can be the duo that brings that back to the Stanley Cup. In addition, the Avalanche will need to continue playing that “neutral zone trap” to win games to protect him.
Source link
