Confirmed with Link: Avs re-sign Blackwood to 5-year × $5.25M AAV deal

[Foppa2118]

That's the beauty of that contract. Goalies age well through that time frame. It's already dirt cheap if he continues to play anything like he currently is..

Strike while the iron is hot

Before this deal though, the Avs and a few other teams, tended to prefer short to mid term deals on goalies in this current era of the NHL, because there's so much variance from year to year on how well they play. One year they can be great, but the next year that contract might become an albatross that prevents you from filling other holes on the roster.

That variance comes into play with a 5 year deal.

I think the Avs had a change in philsophy when they traded Byram though. They kind of had a plan that could allow for a Cup short term if everything came together, that also gave them a long window with multiple shots at a Cup, but the moves they've made starting with that one, have pretty much been all in moves to give them better chances in the short term, at the expense of shortening the window, and giving them fewer shots at a Cup.

I don't think they would have signed MacKenzie to the 5 x $5.25M in the past, the same way they didn't sign Kuemper to 4 x $5.25M a few years ago, but they realized with the D core they have now, the lack of assets and cap space to improve it much, and the goalie struggles recently, they have to be willing to spend a bit more on goalies if they need to, and they also need two vets until Nabokov may show he's ready.

The philosophy before, buying low on cheaper goalies with something to prove makes sense, if it gives you a Cup caliber goalie in say 3 out of 5 years, if you have a long window, but if you have changed course and now have a short window of only a few years, it now makes sense to think you can't gamble on goaltending like you did before, you have to give yourself better odds of them playing well enough to win a Cup in a one year sample, because that might end up being your only shot left.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Giving Blackwood 5.25 mill also says the Avs would have given Kuemper that much if he was younger. The reason they didn’t is because Kuemper was 31 or 32 when he was with the Avs, Blackwood is 28

Darcy had a great attitude, too. If I remember correctly, wasn't he more or less pretty loose with the boys and no where near as reserved as Grubs or as much of a loner as Georgiev appeared to be.

I love this deal. Even if if Blackwood is riding a bit of a high right now, he's simply not qualified to dive as low as Georgiev goes.

He's a big likeable lifeboat out there for the boys.

 

[the_fan]

Darcy had a great attitude, too. If I remember correctly, wasn't he more or less pretty loose with the boys and no where near as reserved as Grubs or as much of a loner as Georgiev appeared to be.

I love this deal. Even if if Blackwood is riding a bit of a high right now, he's simply not qualified to dive as low as Georgiev goes.

He's a big likeable lifeboat out there for the boys.

Yeah, Kuemper is a good dude

 

[Foppa2118]

Kuemper would have been 32 in his first year with the Avs.

Blackwood will turn 29 in December of his first year.

There's a difference, but goalies also play well in their 30's. I don't think age was the difference between signing Blackwood and not Kuemper, I just think they changed philosophies.

 

[Balthazar]

Kuemper would have been 32 in his first year with the Avs.

Blackwood will turn 29 in December of his first year.

There's a difference, but goalies also play well in their 30's. I don't think age was the difference between signing Blackwood and not Kuemper, I just think they changed philosophies.

There's a sizeable difference between a contract running from age 29 to 34 and one running 32 to 37.

You're swapping age 29-30-31 for 35-36-37

 

[the_fan]

Kuemper would have been 32 in his first year with the Avs.

Blackwood will turn 29 in December of his first year.

There's a difference, but goalies also play well in their 30's. I don't think age was the difference between signing Blackwood and not Kuemper, I just think they changed philosophies.

I really think age had to do with the decision of not re-signing both Kuemper and Kadri. They just didn’t wanna give 5 year term to Kuemper and 7 or 8 year term to Naz when both were over 30. There is a 6 year difference between Kuemper and Blackwood. I think both Kuemper and Kadri would have accepted a lower AAV if Avs were willing to give them term

 

[Foppa2118]

There's a sizeable difference between a contract running from age 29 to 34 and one running 32 to 37.

You're swapping age 29-30-31 for 35-36-37

The difference is negated by the fact that goalies play well into their 30's though IMO.

I would bet the Avs would have signed a 32 year old Kuemper this year to the same deal they gave Blackwood, but wouldn't have signed either a few years ago.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Before this deal though, the Avs and a few other teams, tended to prefer short to mid term deals on goalies in this current era of the NHL, because there's so much variance from year to year on how well they play. One year they can be great, but the next year that contract might become an albatross that prevents you from filling other holes on the roster.

That variance comes into play with a 5 year deal.

I think the Avs had a change in philsophy when they traded Byram though. They kind of had a plan that could allow for a Cup short term if everything came together, that also gave them a long window with multiple shots at a Cup, but the moves they've made starting with that one, have pretty much been all in moves to give them better chances in the short term, at the expense of shortening the window, and giving them fewer shots at a Cup.

I don't think they would have signed MacKenzie to the 5 x $5.25M in the past, the same way they didn't sign Kuemper to 4 x $5.25M a few years ago, but they realized with the D core they have now, the lack of assets and cap space to improve it much, and the goalie struggles recently, they have to be willing to spend a bit more on goalies if they need to, and they also need two vets until Nabokov may show he's ready.

The philosophy before, buying low on cheaper goalies with something to prove makes sense, if it gives you a Cup caliber goalie in say 3 out of 5 years, if you have a long window, but if you have changed course and now have a short window of only a few years, it now makes sense to think you can't gamble on goaltending like you did before, you have to give yourself better odds of them playing well enough to win a Cup in a one year sample, because that might end up being your only shot left.

They had to realize it.. it's a fact..

We can still score when the core is on, but the team is nowhere near as complete. We can't always outscore 4 goals, and we can't defend shit goaltending to mid 2s GA.

They're still not bad defensively.

This is perfect tbh. Finally have a goalie that gives them a chance to make the bursts of domination in games worth something.

 

[Foppa2118]

They had to realize it.. it's a fact..

We can still score when the core is on, but the team is nowhere near as complete. We can't always outscore 4 goals, and we can't defend shit goaltending to mid 2s GA.

They're still not bad defensively.

This is perfect tbh. Finally have a goalie that gives them a chance to make the bursts of domination in games worth something.

That's really the issue.

They had issues with high danger chances in their Cup year too, but they could outscore their mistakes, the defensive personnel was very good, they got solid goaltending, with the occasional soft goal, and had a long contention window.

Now the defensive personnel isn't as good as the Cup year, the goaltending has been worse, they have less offensive depth to outscore their mistakes, and the window is shorter.

Hence the need to spend more to give them better odds at better goaltending.

 

[CobraAcesS]

That's really the issue.

They had issues with high danger chances in their Cup year too, but they could outscore their mistakes, the defense was quite good, they got solid goaltending, with the occasional soft goal, and had a long contention window.

Now the defensive personnel isn't as good as the Cup year, the goaltending has been worse, they have less offensive depth to outscore their mistakes, and the window is shorter.

Hence the need to spend more to give them better odds at better goaltending.

Funny thing is we're all like.. damn relied on Blackwood too much.

He came from SJ though, our worst nights are their best lol.

He's top 5 in SV% now, and right on the ass of the goalie he just spanked. He's got to be feeling good.

I bet Canada wishes they could have a do over on their goalie selection by the time that kicks off.

 

[Alienblood]

Landy can't come back, it's as simple as that. If he does they have to trade several players and replace them with shitty league minimum AHLers and there's no way it won't make the team significantly weaker.

If he doesn't come back they have to use the 7M to re-sign Drouin (4M) which will leave 3M to get a 4th liner and 2 dmen.

No money to keep a 13th fwd or a 7th D with the team. Gonna be fun to deal with injuries.

get rid of Mitts 5.75 mil or whatever it is

 

[benzino]

get rid of Mitts 5.75 mil or whatever it is

All players have a slump, no need to send him away yet

 

[Pokecheque]

Very Roy-esque.

 

[Foppa2118]

Would have been cool if he could get the bars in front to look like his grill missing the front teeth.

 

[ABasin]

Very Roy-esque.

Am I the only person who never - ever - looks at a goalie's mask, nor cares what it looks like?

 

[forsbergavs32]

Am I the only person who never - ever - looks at a goalie's mask, nor cares what it looks like?

Some are cool to look at, but I don’t care much either. Blackwood could wear a Minnesota Wild mask for all I care as long as he’s keeping pucks out of our net.

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

Some are cool to look at, but I don’t care much either. Blackwood could wear a Minnesota Wild mask for all I care as long as he’s keeping pucks out of our net.

Someone needs their mod privileges revoked for this shit.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Someone needs their mod privileges revoked for this shit.

 

[illegitimate]

Some are cool to look at, but I don’t care much either. Blackwood could wear a Minnesota Wild mask for all I care as long as he’s keeping pucks out of our net.

i was sort of hoping he'd play in the sharks gear all season

 

[the_fan]

Some are cool to look at, but I don’t care much either. Blackwood could wear a Minnesota Wild mask for all I care as long as he’s keeping pucks out of our net.

Never talk to me again!

 

[forsbergavs32]

Never talk to me again!

But we had so many great times with AE/60 together!

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Before this deal though, the Avs and a few other teams, tended to prefer short to mid term deals on goalies in this current era of the NHL, because there's so much variance from year to year on how well they play. One year they can be great, but the next year that contract might become an albatross that prevents you from filling other holes on the roster.

That variance comes into play with a 5 year deal.

I think the Avs had a change in philsophy when they traded Byram though. They kind of had a plan that could allow for a Cup short term if everything came together, that also gave them a long window with multiple shots at a Cup, but the moves they've made starting with that one, have pretty much been all in moves to give them better chances in the short term, at the expense of shortening the window, and giving them fewer shots at a Cup.

I don't think they would have signed MacKenzie to the 5 x $5.25M in the past, the same way they didn't sign Kuemper to 4 x $5.25M a few years ago, but they realized with the D core they have now, the lack of assets and cap space to improve it much, and the goalie struggles recently, they have to be willing to spend a bit more on goalies if they need to, and they also need two vets until Nabokov may show he's ready.

The philosophy before, buying low on cheaper goalies with something to prove makes sense, if it gives you a Cup caliber goalie in say 3 out of 5 years, if you have a long window, but if you have changed course and now have a short window of only a few years, it now makes sense to think you can't gamble on goaltending like you did before, you have to give yourself better odds of them playing well enough to win a Cup in a one year sample, because that might end up being your only shot left.

We saw with Kerfoot that summer. That they became more willing to cut bait and get value from guys who weren't expected to develop and hit that pre draft upside.

So Byram had to go to fill a hole.

Actually I just realized I'm talking about Newhook not Kerfoot. But I'm not changing it.

 

[Pokecheque]

Am I the only person who never - ever - looks at a goalie's mask, nor cares what it looks like?

I’m sure you’re not but I’m on the complete opposite of that spectrum. I’m totally into uniform design, logos, etc.

 

[Foppa2118]

We saw with Kerfoot that summer. That they became more willing to cut bait and get value from guys who weren't expected to develop and hit that pre draft upside.

So Byram had to go to fill a hole.

Actually I just realized I'm talking about Newhook not Kerfoot. But I'm not changing it.

Byram and Newhook weren't the same. Byram proved himself with his play in the playoffs, Newhook did not. The question on Newhook was can he get better? The question on Byram was can he play like he did before?

They moved Byram, because they needed a 2C, and long term they couldn't afford Makar, Toews, Byram, and Girard. So they chose to re-sign Toews, and picked Girard over Byram, probably because he was playing better for that season.

They only care about one season at a time now. That's the change.

Before they had a long window with multiple shots, but they lost patience, and IMO got pressured by fans, and probably Nate, who wanted an aggressive move, which as of now isn't clear if it actually filled the hole at 2C, but they've got a couple more years to see if it works out like they hoped.