Since the Colorado Avalanche acquired Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 9, the team has been one of the hottest in the NHL, winning nine of 12 games and catapulting themselves into a playoff position in the new year. The Avs are now 25-15-1 with 51 points, third in the Central Division.
In nine appearances since the trade, Blackwood is 7-1-1 with a .938 save percentage (SV%) with a 1.69 goals against average (GAA). In fact, he’s performed so well, the Avs signed him to a five-year extension just two weeks after the trade, and will pay him an annual average value (AAV) of $5.25 million through the 2029-30 campaign.
On Tuesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discuss Blackwood’s recent performance and if the netminder’s five-year extension is worth it.
Tyler Yaremchuk: How about Mackenzie Blackwood and the Avalanche? Since the trade, Blackwood is 7-1-1 and not allowed more than two goals in any of his nine starts. That five-year extension is already looking pretty good. What do you make of his start in Colorado?
Frank Seravalli: I’m sorry, but I don’t care what happens the remainder of the season: the price the Avalanche paid for Blackwood is still the most they would have paid all season. He was never going to vault himself into the $7 or $8 million goaltender, not with his recent track record.
I don’t have any issue if you pay him $5.25 million for two years, but for five years, you’ve put yourself in Jack Campbell and Tristan Jarry territory. There’s a reason why those goalies in that mid-range payroll have ended up exactly where they’ve been, due to the inconsistencies of the position.
You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…
