On Dec. 27, the Colorado Avalanche announced their extension of recently acquired goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood. The 28-year-old received a five-year deal worth $5.25 million per season. His .913 save percentage is top-ten in the NHL.
$5.25M AAV https://t.co/y7n3ZKkh5b
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 27, 2024
It’s ordinarily a bad idea to give out money like this to an unproven commodity like Blackwood, but there’s a catch. This sentiment typically applies to no more than borderline playoff teams who depend on their netminders for success. However, this isn’t what Colorado is at all. They’re one of the best teams in the NHL.
This kind of marriage doesn’t work for other teams because they need the highs of their goaltender to have any chance, but without any of the lows. When the unproven goalie isn’t consistently elite like they signed him to be, the contract ends up being a failure.
Related: Grading Avalanche’s Trade for Mackenzie Blackwood
For the Avalanche, the lows of Blackwood are better than the highs they were getting before they traded for him. Prior to the acquisition, they were tied for 12th in the NHL standings despite a league-worst .866 team save percentage per Natural Stat Trick. They’re one of the best teams between the pipes since his addition, which has helped them climb the Central Division ladder.
With a 3-1-0 record and a .931 save percentage since joining the Avalanche, the team knows Blackwood won’t always be this good. But even average goaltending is a substantial upgrade for them. Their championship window is still wide open, so they need to do everything to maximize it. Goaltending is a valuable position, and they’re treating it as such.
