Confirmed with Link: Avs trade Annunen and 2025 6th for Scott Wedgewood (NSH)

[The Moops]

It’s literally a nothing trade outside of wasted cap space, which I can understand the frustration, but it’s not egregious like it’s being made out to be.

We added almost 2x the cap space of Cheeks for someone 8 years older. We're already in cap hell. This was an atrocious trade. There is no getting around that

 

[the_fan]

If Wedgewood can do a solid enough job as a back up, 1.5 is not a bad price for a back up goalie. He needs to be better than Annunen which shouldn’t be a difficult task because Annunen was really bad lately. I mean if you can’t even play better than how Annunen was playing, you simply don’t belong in the NHL

 

[Bonzai12]

What’s everyone guess on when Nabakov will come in and possibly solve this disaster?

 

[Pokecheque]

What’s everyone guess on when Nabakov will come in and possibly solve this disaster?

2027

 

[kchan9]

If I were Nabokov, I would consider coming to NA sooner rather than later so he can play with Nate, Cale, and Mikko (?) in their prime years, which gives the team and himself the best chance to win the cup.

 

[Chileiceman]

So who is stating tonight? Georgie on a back to back?

 

[AvsWraith]

Um.... I don't think you understood the assignment, CMac...

 

[Ceremony]

What’s everyone guess on when Nabakov will come in and possibly solve this disaster?

When Makar's in Calgary and Rantanen is on the private island Columbus bought him.

 

[McMetal]

I'm trying to find a bright side here, but this trade just stinks on first viewing... Annunen may be struggling, but he's still at less than 30 games of NHL experience and has enjoyed some ups along with his downs in that limited time. If they didn't trade Georgiev for a song after his catastrophic start to the season, why dump Annunen for a middling backup at the first whiff of trouble? Especially after the Avs have spent so long putting all their eggs in the Annunen basket by not drafting a single other goalie with a top 3 round pick until just last spring?

The biggest loss though is that amazing contract he has. That was going to be massive for our cap flexibility for the next two seasons to have a backup goalie for basically minimum wage. You won't find a better warm body for that position on the open market.

And this also means that we are now locked in on the Georgiev track. He is the guy no matter what, apparently management feels good going with him for the rest of the season, and frankly probably beyond, too. Nabokov isn't going to come in next season and be a starter, even if he could make it to that level one day. The only way to get a better/cheaper goalie option for next year would be to put Ritchie on the block.

 

[Avs9296]

Meh Annunen was a nothing burger and is really starting to get exposed. Wedgewood was a good backup in Dallas but hasn't been good in Nashville this year but a really small sample size.

It's a whatever trade for me. Still need to go out and maybe get a starter before the TDL. But hopefully in the meantime Wedgewood gets us more points in the standings than Annunen would have.

 

[niwotsblessing]

I know this might sound hyperbolic but losing Francouz to those injuries is in the top 3 of bad things happening to the Avs over the past 5 years+.

I have to imagine it’s incredibly difficult to excel as a backup goalie. Like it or not, backups are still amongst the best goaltenders in the world. These were used to being starters and playing regularly. Now they play 1 game every 7-10 days. It must be hard to get into a rhythm.

Francouz was literally a dream backup. Never needed to be a starter. Played well and consistently all the time. Could play as a starter when there were I juries.

Absolutely a disaster losing this guy.

Frankie swept the oil in the playoffs. For this reason alone he stands among the greats in Avalanche playoff history.

 

[the_fan]

Those who are complaining about paying more money to Wedgewood compared to what they paid Annunen, you simply can’t keep getting cheap goalies and expect good results. If you want upgrade in net, you have to pay more.

At this point, getting any goalie is a gamble unless you’re getting a sure thing like a Vasilevskiy or Hellebuyck. Even if we give up assets and trade for Gibson, that’s also a gamble. You just never know what you gonna get from majority of the goalies in the NHL, but to have an upgrade in net, you simply have to pay more money.

 

[AvBuff]

You guys realize that we actually need a trade partner who will take AG, right? Jeezus.

 

[AvsMakar08]

2027

Nahh, Nabs will be here sooner then we think. He is like already 24 years old, mature and only has like what, 1 year left in his contract with KHL?

 

[EdAVSfan]

You guys realize that we actually need a trade partner who will take AG, right? Jeezus.

He’s an expiring contract. What’s the big deal? If you’re talking on AG, you’re either not a playoff team, or you already have a starter.

I don’t see the issue. His 3.4M dollar expiring deal? His salary is actually only 2.9$.

 

[BobRossColton]

Nahh, Nabs will be here sooner then we think. He is like already 24 years old, mature and only has like what, 1 year left in his contract with KHL?

He's 21, and I think his contract ends this season. But I believe he'll show up sooner.

 

[EdAVSfan]

Those who are complaining about paying more money to Wedgewood compared to what they paid Annunen, you simply can’t keep getting cheap goalies and expect good results. If you want upgrade in net, you have to pay more.

At this point, getting any goalie is a gamble unless you’re getting a sure thing like a Vasilevskiy or Hellebuyck. Even if we give up assets and trade for Gibson, that’s also a gamble. You just never know what you gonna get from majority of the goalies in the NHL, but to have an upgrade in net, you simply have to pay more money.

I don’t think there’s a single person here that is complaining about spending more money. They’re complaining about spending more money on something that doesn’t actually solve the problem. And by spending more money on a non-solving solution, you make it more difficult financially to get a solution.

Can the Avs win the SC with Wedgewood as their goalie? If the answer is no, then they’ve simply spent 700K extra and not addressed the actual problem. This is RyJo all over again.

 

[dahrougem2]

You guys realize that we actually need a trade partner who will take AG, right? Jeezus.

Brother, you can make anything happen if you have enough motivation.

Georgiev makes 3.4M on an expiring contract. There is zero commitment to him. Any bad team with a goalie to offer like SJ/Anaheim/Columbus/Calgary would have zero issues taking him on.

It's what the Avs offer on top of him that matters. The Avs CAN acquire a goaltender. Whether they are willing to pay legitimate assets remains to be seen.

Remember, even dating back to guys like Craig Anderson, Semyon Varlamov, Jonathan Bernier, and Philip Grubauer this is an org that has long preferred finding a young-ish RFA who is likely being pushed out by his team or a journeyman to take a shot on.

They only really paid the price for a legit guy when their backs were against the wall and Arizona had em by the balls for Darcy Kuemper.

 

[the_fan]

I don’t think there’s a single person here that is complaining about spending more money. They’re complaining about spending more money on something that doesn’t actually solve the problem. And by spending more money on a non-solving solution, you make it more difficult financially to get a solution.

Can the Avs win the SC with Wedgewood as their goalie? If the answer is no, then they’ve simply spent 700K extra and not addressed the actual problem. This is RyJo all over again.

I’m pretty sure they didn’t get Wedgewood to be a starter. He’s gonna be a back up, and if he plays better than Annunen, that’s an upgrade for back up position and worth paying that extra 800 or 900K. We have to wait and see how Wedgewood plays for us before we can say whether or not we’ve upgraded the back up position

 

[Pokecheque]

Nahh, Nabs will be here sooner then we think. He is like already 24 years old, mature and only has like what, 1 year left in his contract with KHL?

Maybe, but he's probably going to need at least one year in the AHL, and even then when/if he makes the NHL, he'll likely have to break in as a backup.

Wallstedt and Cossa were two of the most highly-touted goalie prospects in years, and both of them were drafted three years ago. Neither is even in the NHL right now. Yes, I know they're younger, but they're also much more highly-projected.

Let's just say I am not counting on Nabokov to fix this situation. I'm hopeful he'll be the first Avs netminder prospect who doesn't suck since, Aebischer I guess, but I don't think he'll arrive in time to help the current core.

 

[the_fan]

You guys realize that we actually need a trade partner who will take AG, right? Jeezus.

Teams like the Ducks or the Sharks will take Georgiev. Just one year left on the contract (expiring after this season) and he will be good for their tanking. Just put Georgiev in net and lose games. What could be better when you’re tanking?

 

[Balthazar]

@Balthazar

What? They got a backup for Georgiev earlier than the trade deadline.

The Askarov trade failed earlier and we got Wedgewood instead.

 

[EdAVSfan]

I’m pretty sure they didn’t get Wedgewood to be a starter. He’s gonna be a back up, and if he plays better than Annunen, that’s an upgrade for back up position and worth paying that extra 800 or 900K. We have to wait and see how Wedgewood plays for us before we can say whether or not we’ve upgraded the back up position

Again though, no one is arguing that the Avs shouldn’t upgrade the back up position by spending more money. But you said yourself that Wedgewood is the back up. Great. He MIGHT help the Avs get a few more points in the regular season. Fantastic.

But the overall problem still exists. The guys starting 70% of the games isn’t good enough. The guy starting 30% might be better and costs more money.

Every dollar spent on improving other positions other than 1G just makes it that much more complicated.

Improve the back up. Spend more money on the back up. But fix the actual problem.
The foundation is broken and Wedgewood is like equivalent to redoing the roof.
If the Avs actually make a move for goaltender, this move is fine.
If this is the only goalie move, it’s a waste of a 6th and 700K.

 

[the_fan]

Again though, no one is arguing that the Avs shouldn’t upgrade the back up position by spending more money. But you said yourself that Wedgewood is the back up. Great. He MIGHT help the Avs get a few more points in the regular season. Fantastic.

But the overall problem still exists. The guys starting 70% of the games isn’t good enough. The guy starting 30% might be better and costs more money.

Every dollar spent on improving other positions other than 1G just makes it that much more complicated.

Improve the back up. Spend more money on the back up. But fix the actual problem.
The foundation is broken and Wedgewood is like equivalent to redoing the roof.
If the Avs actually make a move for goaltender, this move is fine.
If this is the only goalie move, it’s a waste of a 6th and 700K.

I agree.

The Wedgewood move won’t make much sense if we gonna keep Georgiev and continue giving him 60 starts. It’s hard to tell what the plan is as far as Georgiev. Are they just gonna ride out his contract and let him walk after this season, or CMac is actually working on trading for a new starter. I’d imagine he has to be working on trading for a new starter. Everyone is talking about how bad our goaltending has been, and I’m sure CMac is aware of it

 

[dahrougem2]

Nahh, Nabs will be here sooner then we think. He is like already 24 years old, mature and only has like what, 1 year left in his contract with KHL?

He is 21