The Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks have gotten together on a big trade regarding their creases. The Avalanche announced they’ve acquired Mackenzie Blackwood, Givani Smith, and a 2027 fifth-round pick from the San Jose Sharks for Alexandar Georgiev, Nikolai Kovalenko, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
It’s quite rare to see an NHL organization entirely move out the netminders they started the year with but that’s exactly what the Avalanche did by early December. Colorado began the year with a combination of Georgiev and Justus Annunen but the two have been replaced with Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood.
The Avalanche have had the league’s worst goaltending this season and it’s not particularly close. Colorado sits dead last in the league with a .866 save percentage and 29th in goals against per game with 3.55.
Blackwood should help considerably in that department. He’s managed a 6-9-3 record with the Sharks this year coupled with a .909 SV% and 3.00 GAA. He’s given up 53 goals this year in San Jose but some of that can be attributed to the poor performance in front of him as his xGA is only 39.7 according to Hockey Reference.
Colorado’s defense has been more than capable of only allowing 766 shots on their netminders this season ranking 11th in the league. They’ll also shed some salary in the deal which is another bonus. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that the Avalanche retained 14% ($476K) of Georgiev’s remaining salary so the organization will save roughly $700K in the swap.
Smith also provides some flexibility for Colorado toward the bottom of the lineup. He cleared waivers earlier today (as per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman) and can be moved between the Avalanche and their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, unencumbered for the next 30 days.
The real surprise in this deal is Georgiev. His inclusion was likely necessary for the Avalanche given their salary cap picture and the lack of desire to carry three netminders on the active roster. Still, it felt like the perfect opportunity for the Sharks to make an opening for prospect Yaroslav Askarov on the NHL roster.
He’s easily having the worst season of his career and will be limping into unrestricted free agency next summer. He’s produced an 8-7-0 record for the Avalanche this year but has a dismal .874 SV%. Georgiev may find more success with less pressure to win in San Jose but this isn’t the year he’d like to have considering his next contract is at stake.
The real prize in this deal for San Jose is Kovalenko. He was a sixth-round pick by Colorado in the 2018 NHL Draft but didn’t come to North America until last year. He saw his ice time reduced in recent weeks as the Avalanche drift toward a healthy lineup but still carries plenty of pedigree as a prospect.
His final two years in the Kontinental Hockey League were especially good. Kovalenko scored 32 goals and 89 points in 98 games with the KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod from 2022 to 2024. He’ll likely push for top-six minutes with the Sharks which was a prohibited pathway in Colorado.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report Blackwood had been traded to Colorado.
Peng was the first to report Georgiev, Kovalenko, and draft capital were headed back to the Sharks.
Goodbye Georgiev?
@thegreatgoodbye — Or, as we might say, “Good riddance, George the fifth (George V), aka Georgie Dog.”
???
Great move for the AVS. Georgiev was a glaring problem. Fixed that.
Yes he was but the Avs gave a lot more in return to the Sharks unless they just wanted to dump his salary also.
Absolutely. Georgiev was dreadful last Tuesday against the Sabres giving up four goals in the first period. He looked totally lost, as the saying goes, “He couldn’t stop a beachball.”
Well yes, that’s why they attached a higher pick, to get the Sharks to take that contract.
Sharks loving the ex Rangers
Smart pickup by Avs & shrewd asset mgmt by Sharks. A win-win for both…
Avs needed this trade, so good move by them.
Askarov should be in net for San Jose, The Sharks should flip Georgiev.
Until the dead line, I want Asky to continue to dominate the AHL instead of having to cover for all these traffic cones on D. I expect one of Georgiev or Vanecek to be flipped then for whatever someone will offer, even a conditional 7th.
The fact that Georgiev was retained on seems to point in that direction. Injuries are inevitable and either can back up in a pinch as long as they’re not playing more than half the minutes. GMMG already got what he set out for in Kovalenko and the 2nd.
Montreal could be a landing spot for Georgiev, Primeau has been terrible for them and cannot play in the NHL
What do you expect to get for him? He has been dreadful and the Avs just gave up a depth forward and second round pick to dump him.
I honestly don’t care at this point. We invested only a 6th to get Blackwood and the ROI in barely a year and a half is a 2nd plus a young and hungry third liner. From here on out, the main priority is securing the highest possible draft pick and keeping the seat warm for Askarov. Vanecek and Georgiev are unlikely to perform well enough behind this roster to warrant anywhere near this return at the deadline.
Avs fans are pretty bummed out about Kovy but he’s the sweetener in the salary dump and Blackwood was probably worth the 2nd by himself.
Granlund will be the last domino to fall for San Jose.
Them 2016 Albany Devils tendies were poppin! Too bad the NJ Devils didn’t notice. Tbf, Mack got a fake shake at the starters net (little too early in his development tho)
This really looks like a win-win trade for me. Colorado gets a decent goalie, San Jose gets a trade chip, and a 2nd, and a potential roster player.
And if Georgiev continues to really stink, it’s a pathway to the NHL for Askarov.
that’s a lot of wood in Colorado.
@MoneyBallJustWorks — It’s looking like a cold winter until *some* team can miss the playoffs, but get the best tee times. Light the old fireplace and don’t put it out until mid-April.
It’d be great if they could get Miles Wood back too. I heard the Avs are currently talking to the Canucks about Kiefer Sherwood.
Why the hell would the Canucks trade Sherwood? He’s having a career year and they are in contention.
Woosh!
It was a joke dude
All I know is the AVS sher-would love to have more wood on this roster.
Would be hilarious. Guess MacFarland like’s his wood.
Mike Grier is absolutely killing it. I know it’ll never happen, but he’s my executive of the year so far. Lots of asset collecting while not giving up much and keeping morale high during a losing season. Love what the Sharks are doing.
Georgiev is having a rough time now, but was a pretty decent netminder not long ago. Has Mackenzie Blackwood ever been a decent netminder? Ditto Scott Wedgewood. This is not a good goalie pairing.
wood