Confirmed Signing with Link: [COL] G Mackenzie Blackwood signs extension with the Avalanche (5 years, $5.25M AAV)

[BKarchitect]

What’s the hurry ? Guy has been waiver fodder for the last few years . Talent sure

Lol - that is just blatantly untrue. Ask any Sharks fan.

Again - they have identified him through their pro scouting as the guy they wanted and were willing to give up some decent assets for. Why on earth does anybody think they did that to let him walk away in a few months? What is the point in waiting? If he continues to perform well behind this Avs team, the price only goes up.

It's comical that folks think this contract extension is because he's looked good in four games. Hey - if you want to say, "I don't like Blackwood, the Avs should have gotten somebody else", that's more than fine. It may or may not work. But the concept that the Avs decision makers and pro scouts have been so enamored with Blackwood in four games that this is the reason they want to get an extension done is ridiculous.

 

[Reality Czech]

That’s like ordering 2nds at Arby’s because your last 3 meals came from a dumpster.

It’s better, but there is certainly room for improvement.

I was searching for the best analogy but you already nailed it. The Avs and mid goalies go together like peanut butter and jelly.

 

[EdAVSfan]

I doubt they are extending him because he had a few good games.

Look at how difficult it is to get a goalie. They likely intended to extend him the entire time. There simply aren't enough NHL goalies available.

This is correct. There’s been insinuation from the start that the Avs knew the range that Blackwood wanted from conversations with the sharks. Almost immediately after the trade, there were reports that the Avs felt like they found their guy

 

[Patty Ice]

That’s like ordering 2nds at Arby’s because your last 3 meals came from a dumpster.

It’s better, but there is certainly room for improvement.

As someone currently sitting in an Arby's, I resent this comment.

 

[shadow1]

He gave them 4 good games so they're paying him already

Considering Blackwood has a -29.5 GSAA in the 4 years before this year (82 games with NJ and 44 games with San Jose), I'm not exactly sure why Colorado is rushing to give him an extension. Unless he's coming in cheap I don't see why they don't just wait until March or so, when he'll have a larger sample size of games.

This reminds me of when the Oilers gave Koskinen a decent sized deal because he was good for them for half a season, and he proceeded to be terrible for the majority of that deal.

Isn't that kinda like saying "wow, the Pittsburgh Penguins just signed free agent Joe Shmoe? He hasn't even played a game for them yet!"

 

[Mr Positive]

This is likely low money and term. Assuming that is the case, I like the move

Blackwood is a really smart bet to keep around.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

I doubt they are extending him because he had a few good games.

Look at how difficult it is to get a goalie. They likely intended to extend him the entire time. There simply aren't enough NHL goalies available.

The day he was acquired, general manager Chris MacFarland said they believed they had their goalie of the future and were not expecting him to be a rental.

They likely always wanted to extend him and got the idea of what his demands are from his agent before acquiring him.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Why pay 10 mill for a goalie when you can pay 4 and over the 20-25 game get very similar goaltending.

 

[BKarchitect]

I was searching for the best analogy but you already nailed it. The Avs and mid goalies go together like peanut butter and jelly.

How many actually good goalies are there in this league - and then how many of those ones are you willing to give the bag to?

This isn't an Avs problem. It's the problem with literally every goalie contract extension made in the past few years. Some go south quickly. Some are pretty good. It's a risk but unless you've got one of the half-dozen actually good goalies + goalie contracts on your hands, what are you supposed to do? Switch goalies every 12 months and have zero stability or direction?

It's easy to say, "I wouldn't have invested money in goalie A, B or C". It's a lot harder to actually say what your better solution would be.

 

[Tralfamadore]

5 years wow

 

[RoyIsALegend]

5 years

 

[FissionFire]

Woof this will end poorly

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Ah, so you're more insightful than the stats like everyone else on HF.

What's your background in goaltending and why should I trust your opinion?

I've likely been watching the Avs just as long as you.

I don't know about you, but I trust him because his opinion is echoed by the GMs in the NHL.

Varly was the Vezina runner up in 2014, with a legitimate case for winning it. He was also 4th in the Hart vote.

While in Colorado, Kuemper didn't get a single vote for the Vezina.

Why should we trust GSAx as anything other than a fun calculation based on assumptions?

 

[Hmmm]

yeah too long, how much money?

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

Omg. 5 years. How much.

Oh Avs mgmt. never stop never stopping.

 

[Foppberg]

Nice.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Isn't that kinda like saying "wow, the Pittsburgh Penguins just signed free agent Joe Shmoe? He hasn't even played a game for them yet!"

The difference is that Blackwood has been bad more than good in his NHL career, so paying him now feels like Colorado overreacting to him being good for them for a few games.

Blackwood has been very good this year and was solid last year, but that's a huge risk for someone with his track record.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Oh Avs mgmt. never stop never stopping.

Are the Avs known for handing out bad contract extensions?

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

5 YEARS lmao what on earth, even if it's minimal this is insane lol

 

[JLo217]

Woof this will end poorly

Huh?

He's a good goalie on a much much better team than he's been on. He's got a reliable backup, and is going to fit with the core about as long as they can compete.

I guess the Avs could sit around like they have in the past like when they lost Gru or Kuemper. Or wait around and overpay when he has a fantastic year statistically. Or they could just become the Oilers....

This is a smart move, they've targeted him in the past.

 

[Nico Hischier]

Probably should have waited a little bit longer to do this but they didn’t say the aav yet

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Omg. 5 years. How much.

Oh Avs mgmt. never stop never stopping.

Yes. Please continue to be one of the best mgmt teams in the league.

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

Are the Avs known for handing out bad contract extensions?

Known for making terrible decisions on goal tending.

Don’t be so sensitive. It’s Christmas buddy.

 

[Bone Density]

 

[RoyIsALegend]

$5.25m AAV