The Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks have gotten collectively on an enormous commerce relating to their creases. The Avalanche introduced they’ve acquired Mackenzie Blackwood, Givani Smith, and a 2027 fifth-round decide from the San Jose Sharks for Alexandar Georgiev, Nikolai Kovalenko, a 2026 second-round decide, and a 2025 fifth-round decide.
It’s fairly uncommon to see an NHL group completely transfer out the netminders they began the yr with however that’s precisely what the Avalanche did by early December. Colorado started the yr with a mix of Georgiev and Justus Annunen however the two have been changed with Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood.
The Avalanche have had the league’s worst goaltending this season and it’s not notably shut. Colorado sits lifeless final within the league with a .866 save share and twenty ninth in targets towards per recreation with 3.55.
Blackwood ought to assist significantly in that division. He’s managed a 6-9-3 file with the Sharks this yr coupled with a .909 SV% and three.00 GAA. He’s given up 53 targets this yr in San Jose however a few of that may be attributed to the poor efficiency in entrance of him as his xGA is just 39.7 in response to Hockey Reference.
Colorado’s protection has been greater than able to solely permitting 766 photographs on their netminders this season rating eleventh within the league. They’ll additionally shed some wage within the deal which is one other bonus. TSN’s Chris Johnston stories that the Avalanche retained 14% ($476K) of Georgiev’s remaining wage so the group will save roughly $700K within the swap.
Smith additionally supplies some flexibility for Colorado towards the underside of the lineup. He cleared waivers earlier Monday (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman) and might be moved between the Avalanche and their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, unencumbered for the following 30 days.
The true shock on this deal is Georgiev. His inclusion was seemingly vital for the Avalanche given their wage cap image and the shortage of need to hold three netminders on the lively roster. Nonetheless, it felt like the proper alternative for the Sharks to make a gap for prospect Yaroslav Askarov on the NHL roster.
He’s simply having the worst season of his profession and can be limping into unrestricted free company subsequent summer time. He’s produced an 8-7-0 file for the Avalanche this yr however has a dismal .874 SV%. Georgiev could discover extra success with much less strain to win in San Jose however this isn’t the yr he’d prefer to have contemplating his subsequent contract is at stake.
The true prize on this deal for San Jose is Kovalenko. He was a sixth-round decide by Colorado within the 2018 NHL Draft however didn’t come to North America till final yr. He noticed his ice time diminished in latest weeks because the Avalanche drift towards a wholesome lineup however nonetheless carries loads of pedigree as a prospect.
His ultimate two years within the Kontinental Hockey League had been particularly good. Kovalenko scored 32 targets and 89 factors in 98 video games with the KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod from 2022 to 2024. He’ll seemingly push for top-six minutes with the Sharks which was a prohibited pathway in Colorado.
