Despite being just six games into the 2024-25 NHL season, the Colorado Avalanche already have goaltender rumors. But that’s what happens when you’ve given up 29 goals, which is the second most in the NHL so far this season.
There are differing opinions on the Colorado Avalanche’s situation. Some, like Frankie Corrado on TSN, believe that the team doesn’t necessarily need to make changes; instead, they need Alexandar Georgiev to improve his performance. However, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman from Sportsnet suggests that the Avalanche’s front office should consider exploring other options, even though the season is only six games old.
Why We Are in This Situation
There is no way to sugarcoat this situation, but the Avalanche goaltending to start the season hasn’t been anywhere near acceptable. After starting the season 0-4, Georgiev and Justus Annunen looked shaky and unconfident in the net, giving up easy goals they should have stopped and unable to make crucial saves when the team needed them the most.
While the Avalanche might have the 11th-best goals for per game at 3.50, they have the worst goals-against per game at 4.50. Though these past two games against the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks have been wins and seen much better play from both goaltenders, they come too late into the start of the season, and the narrative has started early about problems with their goaltending.
“There’s no way the Avalanche aren’t looking at this and saying ‘what we can do? How do we fix this, and do we have to go elsewhere?” Friedman said of the Avs’ goalie troubles on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “It doesn’t mean they will. But they have to be looking at it.”
Georgiev has a .884 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.70 goals-against average (GAA) to start the season, while Annunen has a .811 SV% and a 4.99 GAA. Georgiev currently has the lowest SV% and highest GAA among goaltenders who have played five or more games this season. It was not a great start for a goaltender who finished with a career-high in starts last season with 62 and still finished with a GAA over 3.00 and a SV% under .900.
Option 1: The Safer but Less Exciting Option for a Backup
Friedman mentioned two names associated with Colorado, though it felt more like speculation than certainty. However, the seasoned insider typically doesn’t make assertions in the hockey world without some basis in truth, even if it’s only at a surface level. The first name he brought up was MacKenzie Blackwood, who was once seen as the future of the New Jersey Devils goaltending and was even a hopeful for Team Canada at the Olympics. He is currently with the Sharks, where he has faced many high-danger chances over the past two seasons.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Blackwood is the kind of guy they’re at least saying ‘Okay, if we do decide to go this route, could he solve our problem?’ I find it impossible to believe they’re not at least looking at it, whether or not they actually do it,” Friedman said.
“When I looked at the goaltenders that could be available, or would even make sense, Blackwood was a name that jumped out to me.”
In three games started with the Sharks, Blackwood is currently 0-1, with a .875 SV% and a 4.88 GAA to start the season. The 27-year-old is in the last year of his two-year contract at a cap hit of $2.350 million. This would be a safer option if Annunen struggles and is sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL), and needs some time to refine his game. Kaapo Kahkonen was recently claimed off waivers and could be a guy he could compete with if Annunen is sent down and Blackwood is claimed.
Option 2: More Exciting Option if Georgiev Continues to Struggle
The second name mentioned was John Gibson. The veteran goalie for Anaheim has lost his starting position to the young Lukas Dostal. Currently, he is recovering from an appendectomy and has yet to play a game this season.
“But the other guy I wonder about is Gibson. The thing about Gibson is he has to stay healthy. Someone asked me if Gibson would be the perfect tonic for what the Avalanche need. And in theory, the answer is yes because he’s a good goalie and could make a difference. But he’s gotta stay healthy. That’s always been the case with him.”
Gibson is in a unique situation. He has two more years left on a contract worth $6.4 million. Despite the recent deals that NHL goalies have signed, he remains one of the higher-paid goaltenders in the league, and it could be difficult to move him with that cap hit and Colorado’s current situation with their cap space. If Georgiev is included, then you would need to account for another $3 million if there is little or no cap retention on Anaheim’s side.
Related: 3 Avalanche Goalie Trade Targets to Replace Georgiev
“The contract you can work out. If you think the player is good enough, you’ll find a way to make the contract work,” Friedman said. “He’s only got two years left; people aren’t going to be too afraid of that term if he could play. I just think that the health thing — he’s gotta prove that he can play.”
Despite the injuries, Gibson has been a name on the trade block for years for teams looking to add another goaltender to their roster. Anaheim hasn’t been good during his time there, and with them fully rebuilding and having a piece like Dostal to look upon, this could be the year he is moved. Despite the past two seasons, Gibson still holds a .910 SV% and a 2.90 GAA in his 11 seasons with the Ducks.
“I just find it hard to believe that the Avalanche aren’t looking at the goalie situation. [Head coach Jared] Bednar is saying all the right things publicly. That’s his job. Talk up the team, don’t let the boat take on water, don’t give anyone any indication that you’re giving up on your guy. But it’s the front office’s job to sit here and say ‘What are our other options?” Friedman stated.
Change Must Come if Success Doesn’t Follow
It takes time to assess what the Avalanche will decide regarding their goaltending situation. Last season, similar discussions began early in the year. However, since Georgiev had a solid 2022-23 season, he wasn’t the primary focus of those conversations. Instead, the emphasis was on Colorado needing a suitable backup goalie to support him. Pavel Francouz was injured before the season started, and Ivan Prosvetov was not meeting their needs. Before the calendar turned to 2024, Annunen wasn’t doing enough to be given an opportunity. They did not make any goalie moves and instead promoted Annunen. He performed adequately in a backup role to finish the season, although he did not face challenging opponents most nights.
The truth is Colorado has a goaltending issue. Whether Georgiev is part of the solution remains unclear, but the current arrangement with him as the starter and Annunen as the backup isn’t practical. If you’re questioning why Bednar has been reluctant to start Annunen in the first five games, consider his performance during a crucial moment against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 12. He replaced Georgiev when the Avalanche trailed 3-1 early in the second period. Just before he faced a shot, Colorado scored twice, tying the game at 3-3. However, he allowed a goal on his very first shot and conceded two goals out of the first five he faced, allowing the game to slip away against a weaker opponent. This shift in momentum was immediate and detrimental.
It’s not just about Georgiev needing to be replaced; it’s that Bednar once again lacks two goalies he can trust—he barely has one. Is Blackwood the answer? Or Gibson? I’m not sure. However, Kahkonen will be given every opportunity to serve as the backup now that he has arrived in Denver. If Georgiev continues struggling by mid to late November, moving him in a trade for one of the options mentioned might be wise. Change is necessary, even if it means Georgiev shares responsibilities with another goalie who can step up as a starter when needed.
