The middle of the 2024–2025 season was a genuine turning point in the future of the Colorado Avalanche goaltending.

Though veteran Alexandar Georgiev was spotty at best, he periodically showed up big enough to justify keeping him. A streak of losses and brutal netminding clarified Georgiev was no longer a good fit on the Avalanche.

The middle of December marked the end for Georgiev, and the Avalanche traded him to the San Jose Sharks along with rookie Nikolai Kovalenko in exchange for Mackenzie Blackwood. 

 

The acquisition of Blackwood could not have been a better fit. He ended his 37-game run with a .913 save percentage with the Avalanche.

But, the acquisition of Georgiev’s replacement was not enough. It was time for a complete goalie overhaul. The team also traded backup goaltender Justus Annunen to the Nashville Predators for Scott Wedgewood.

The duo quickly became known as “The Lumberyard,” and the team’s confidence and performance on the ice changed. The slow crawl back to the third seed spot was in motion. Blackwood turned out to be a beast in the net, and when paired with a reprieve performance by Wedgewood, Colorado was finally in good shape.

The looming playoff run against the rival Dallas Stars brought doubts. Both goaltenders were green in the postseason, and contending teams will expose all weaknesses on the ice. Surprisingly, both goaltenders excelled, which was a breath of fresh air.

Despite an unforgiving offensive attack from the Stars, Blackwood still posted only a 2.71 GAA through the seven-game series. There was no longer a budding assumption that any puck in the defensive zone would somehow find the back of the net. Confidence soared, and things seemed to head in a promising direction.

However, there was one slight hiccup ahead of the 2025–2026 preseason: Blackwood was skating on the team’s injured skate.

What could happen?

Not only could his absence be an enormous hit on the Avalanche roster, but will deeply affect the Colorado Eagles. The NHL affiliate team might recall Trent Miner, their top goaltender, to serve as a relief goaltender.

While he can compete at a high level after what his numbers were for the Eagles, it leaves the AHL team at a huge disadvantage. Colorado went deep into the playoffs last season and can bring home the Calder Cup, but it will be more difficult without a veteran goaltender to lead them.

Newcomer Kyle Keyser is next up on the list. He is expected to serve as the second-string goalie heading into the new season. A bit of a wildcard from the Providence Bruins, Keyser missed the entire 2024–2025 season while playing overseas.

Depending on the start of the season, Keyser will start with the Eagles, while rookie goaltender Isak Posch with start with the will have to serve as the backup.

While the team hasn’t confirmed the status of Blackwood’s injury, the hope is that the strong NHL duo will be healthy by the time the regular season begins.