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

[Grigowski]

Colorado was a team i thought could possibly win multiple cups but I'm starting to think this core just wins the one. Which is still great, but I expected more.

The year after the win was a nightmare from start to end. Even our GM gave up on it on TDL. No way we could have defended our cup in 2023 with that roster and injuries all season (lets not forget the captain went down before that season too and was never to be seen on ice again).

The best shot again was last year when we had a very good TDL and came in pretty healthy. And then we ran into a stacked Dallas-Team which Bednar could not solve. I still dont know what happened that series, but it was hard to watch and in the end a well-deserved loss.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Surprised Colorado would rush into it, but they must like what they've seen.

I like Blackwood, it's a risk but he has the potential to be a consistently good #1 imo.

 

[Grigowski]

Kuemper was real good in Colorado. He was never the same again after that eye injury.

FYP

 

[EXTRAS]

I'd be pretty annoyed with my agent right now if I was joey daccord. He got less than blackwood.

 

[BKarchitect]

It certainly takes the goalie discussion off the table, doesn't it? It's not a wishy-washy investment. This is it. We will see if the Avs pro scouting got it right. Blackwood is an impressive talent with a good recent history who also has little experience being "the man" for a contending team and some weak years when he was younger. And this is a "he's the man" contract and commitment, no doubt about it.

If he plays like Jarry, the Avs are incredibly f-ed.

If he plays like Daccord, the Avs are gonna challenge for things.

It's going to be about more than SV%. It's going to be a mindset of do his teammates trust him to come through in the clutch. Do they trust him to bounce back quickly after a bad game? You can even argue about the length of the contract - does Blackwood coast on his bumper deal or does feeling like he has a real commitment from his team empower him to take the next step?

 

[EXTRAS]

Really can't imagine blackwood getting more than this in free agency even if he put up stellar numbers given his history.

 

[DeltaSwede]

5M is literally just average starter money now. There's zero chance any goalie who's been a starter in this league signs for less than 5M.

What would be the potential added cost of waiting for another 10 games? 15, 20 games?

I'd rather let him play 20 + games before even beginning to discuss a contract if it's going to end up being "average starter money"

Avs have nothing to win here and Blackwood everything to win.

 

[shadow1]

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.

MacFarland said when they got him it wasn't just for 4 months, so if they're overreacting, it's based on Blackwood's entire body of work this season.

I get what you're saying about track record, but he's playing well now and generally that's what teams pays for. Joey Daccord, who's the same age as Blackwood, signed basically the same deal ($5x5) with 22 career wins to his name.

 

[Muffin]

What would be the potential added cost of waiting for another 10 games? 15, 20 games?

I'd rather let him play 20 + games before even beginning to discuss a contract if it's going to end up being "average starter money"

Avs have nothing to win here and Blackwood everything to win.

If he still has a .920 after 20 games I’d think he has the case to get a 6M contract.

 

[MakoSlade]

Very risky, but he was great for the Devils until Covid. If he is back to that form this is a steal.

 

[Joe Sakic]

Jesus. Would’ve preferred 3 years at most. Goalies can be so streaky. 5 years is a long time, and this doesn’t even kick in until next year.

 

[CupofOil]

The AAV isn't THAT bad but that's quite a commitment for a goalie that hadn't had above a .902 save pct. since last decade until the small sample size of this season. Could pay off though if he's merely an average starter over the next 5 years but that's a big if considering his recent history.

You realize the cap is probably $95M next year. $5M is average starter money, even slightly below that.

And Blackwood is better than Skinner

Based on?

 

[Zirakzigil]

This seems very rushed and high risk. Not sure this is the goalie I want to bet a cup on if I was the Avs.

 

[Shocker]

The money isn't that bad, the 5 years just seems unreasonably long term.

 

[Tryblot]

This is a hilariously awful deal and I'm so glad it was the avs who made it.

 

[Skolman]

You realize the cap is probably $95M next year. $5M is average starter money, even slightly below that.

And Blackwood is better than Skinner

Uh, based on what exactly?

 

[Barry Tallackson]

Blackwood is the goalie Jekyll and Hyde.. some nights looks like an all star, some nights he lets in 3 on 8 shots

 

[Malkinstheman]

Jarry signed almost the same contract when he had a career sv% of 0.914 and forgot how to play hockey the moment the ink dried. Blackwood has a career sv% of 0.905 and this season is his best since the covid seasons. I hope it works out for the Avs but yikes

 

[BKarchitect]

MacFarland said when they got him it wasn't just for 4 months, so if they're overreacting, it's based on Blackwood's entire body of work this season.

I get what you're saying about track record, but he's playing well now and generally that's what teams pays for. Joey Daccord, who's the same age as Blackwood, signed basically the same deal ($5x5) with 22 career wins to his name.

True, and people were flipping out (stupidly) in the Daccord extension thread too.

I'd say 75% of this reaction is boiler plate "AHHH GOALIE EXTENSION" stuff. In the Daccord thread you had folks being like "LOLZ WHO???" and in this thread you've got multiple people claiming Blackwood's performance is that of a waiver wire goalie. So a large component of the general reaction is simply trying to amplify general goalie angst to fill the void of that being ignorant leaves.

 

[DJB]

5.25 x 5 for a backup goalie is certainly interesting cap management

 

[Muffin]

Uh, based on what exactly?

Literally every stats imaginable? Blackwood has better SV% and goals saved above expected and he played in San Jose.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Lols. I'm glad that this goof is out west where I barely ever even have to hear about him. One of my least favorite Devils ever.

 

[Leafs87]

Wow. I was genuinely thinking the Storlarz contract given that both were upper end backups that you’re gambling may be able to be starters

 

[Satan]

Joe Sakics after losing his mind

 

[PullHard]

I don’t get the rush on this contract. Or why they felt the need to give him 5 years?