The move continues throughout the NHL, and its ripple effects are immediately affecting the AHL.
On Monday afternoon the Colorado Avalanche took another step toward fixing their scoring situation by acquiring Mackenzie Blackwood, forward Givani Smith and a 2027 fifth-round pick from the San Jose Sharks for goaltender Alexander Georgiev, forward Nikolai Kovalenko, a second-round pick for 2026, and a conditional fifth-round draft pick of 2025.
The trade is the latest attempt by Colorado management to bolster a position that has struggled for the Avs all season. They were already bringing in Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators on November 30th to back up Justus Annunen. The previous addition, Kaapo Kähkönen, did not work out for the Avs, after they brought him on waivers from the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 11. Kähkönen made just one appearance with the Avs before returning to the Jets on waivers on Nov. 12.
Just two and a half years removed from winning the Stanley Cup, the Avalanche still have a core that can compete.
So, that's where Colorado's goaltending picture stands. And for the Colorado Eagles, they will continue to go with the Trent Minor-Kevin Mandolese tandem. The Eagles had a tough weekend of their own, allowing 11 goals in a road trip to the Abbotsford Canucks; three of these goals came from the 10 power play opportunities the Eagles received in these two games.
But what about the Sharks? And the San Jose Barracuda? And Yaroslav Askarov?
Askarov, the subject of the Sharks' deal with Nashville, is widely considered the team's future NHL netminder. But how far is that future now? The 2020 NHL Draft's 11th pick had two solid seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals, but he took a big step forward this season. His most recent moment came this past Saturday night when he shut out the visiting Coachella Valley Firebirds with 36 saves in a 1-0 win. For good measure, Georgi Romanov entered the next game and made 32 of 33 shots in a 2-1 win as the Barracuda swept one of the top clubs in the Western Conference.
Contractually, the Colorado-San Jose deal doesn't change much for the Sharks. Blackwood and Georgiev both have contracts that expire after this season. So is Vitek Vanecek, another Sharks forward.
So far, aside from a brief blip in Vanecek's absence, the Sharks have resisted any temptation to bring up Askarov full time. But his league-leading .946 save percentage, 1.75 goals-against average (second-best in the AHL), and 8-3-1 record may test that attitude as the AHL season progresses.
But by keeping Askarov on the Barracuda, Sharks management has a chance to give him another test. The Barracuda are in second place in the Pacific Division with a record of 14-6-0-1, including six points (5-0-0-1). Expectations were high coming into this season with a Barracuda roster that had improved significantly during the offseason, and the club's performance thus far has matched those expectations.
However, the real test stands before the Barracuda now. Plaintiffs do not now object. In addition, this week starts eight of nine games on the road. Stretch the schedule even further and it's 11 of 15 home games since mid-January. The likes of Abbotsford, Coachella Valley, and Ontario — all teams battling the Barracuda for a spot in the top half of the Pacific Division — dot that road schedule.
Rebuilding projects are inherently difficult, and success is never guaranteed. They can be muddled and misguided. Draft picks are missed. Development stables. Training decisions do not go as expected. Injuries happen. It's one thing to plan for patience, a decision that always goes hand in hand with the initial decision to rebuild. It's another task entirely to stick to that patience, especially when losses come around the clock and stretch across the seasons.
2024 San Jose Barracuda vs Coachella Valley Firebirds
Monday's deal, however, shows that Sharks general manager Mike Grier and his front office are sticking to that plan. They brought in draft picks. They added an NHL-caliber player to an expiring contract in Georgiev, someone they can test to see if they can get his game back on track. Now they have a 25-year-old in Kovalenko who will get an expanded role. They also have Askarov and the Barracuda, where he can help lead that team through what will be a tough schedule over the next six weeks.
The Sharks are far from reaching their goal, of course, but they are sticking to their plan.
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