Colorado Avalanche sign goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to a contract extension

The Colorado Avalanche on Friday announced that they have signed 28-year-old goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to a 5 year contract extension.

The Avs acquired Blackwood earlier this month in a trade that sent goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to the San Jose Sharks. Blackwood resurrected his career with the Sharks, who acquired him from the New Jersey Devils for a sixth-round draft pick in June 2023. He had a 3.45 goals-against average with an .899 save percentage in 44 games for a struggling San Jose squad last season, and a 3.00 GAA and .909 save percentage in 19 games with the team this season.

He has played in four games for Colorado since the trade and the Avalanche posted a 3-1 record during those games. Blackwood recorded a .931 save percentage in those games.

Colorado General Manager Chris MacFarland said the team is excited to announce the deal.

"We are thrilled to get this deal done now and have Mackenzie under contract for the next six years," MacFarland said. "As I said when we acquired him, we feel like Mackenzie has just gotten better and better every year and he has come in and done a great job with us in his first few starts."

MacFarland described Blackwood as a "big bodied, athletic goaltender who is still young and still growing as a goaltender."

Soon after the trade the Avs faced the Sharks and won 4-2. Before the game Blackwood credited San Jose general manager Mike Grier, an assistant coach with the Devils when Blackwood was there, for giving him a chance after the goalie was hampered by injuries in New Jersey.

"When I got healthy, he believed in me, brought me in and gave me a chance to play," Blackwood said . "I got myself turned around, got my game up and back on track. He was a big part of giving me the opportunity to do so."

Georgiev led the league in wins last season and had an 86-41-11 record with the Avalanche. But he struggled to begin this season. In addition to trading Georgiev, Colorado also dealt backup Justus Annunen to Nashville for goalie Scott Wedgewood on Nov. 30.

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said before the Avs-Sharks game that Blackwood has been "fantastic" so far, and that he and Wedgewood are both veterans who feel comfortable in their own skin and are a "little more on the outgoing side of things than our two previous goaltenders."

Avalanche forward Ross Colton said Blackwood and Wedgewood have "brought some confidence" to the team.

"Both of them have been awesome," Colton said. "They're great in the locker room as well. Just in the room, it feels different, which is a good thing."

Blackwood is from Canada and grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario.