Confirmed with Link: TRADE: Sharks trade G Mackenzie Blackwood, F Givani Smith, 2027 5th to COL for G Alexandar Georgiev, F Nikolai Kovalenko, '26 2nd, Cond'l '25 5th

[The Nemesis]

I saw last night that Askarov wasn't listed on the Barracuda website, but I thought it was just a glitch or lazy updating or something. I guess it was maybe him being taken off in preparation for the promotion?


The interesting thing will be to see what happens with Georgiev and Vanacek. You'd assume one of them has to be Barracuda bound unless they just pay Georgiev to sit at home.


EDIT:

The 2025 5th is conditional and can be upgraded to the worse of either the Avs' own 2025 4th or the 2025 4th previously belonging to Vancouver (acquired from Vancouver with Tucker Poolman in exchange for Erik Brannstrom) if at least two of the following three conditions are fulfilled:

1) Blackwood starts at least 30 of the Avalanche's remaining 53 games in this season
2) Blackwood wins at least 25 of the Avlanche's remaining games this season
3) The Avs advance to at least the 3rd round of the 2025 playoffs.

Sharks acquire goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, Nikolai Kovalenko and two draft selections from Colorado | San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the club has acquired goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, Nikolai Kovalenko, Colorado’s 2026 second-round selection, and a conditional fifth-round draft selection in 2025 in exchange for goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood...

www.nhl.com

Click to read more...

 

[Internazionale]

Seems like a good haul for Blackwood. Well done Grier! A second is sweet.

 

[Hodge]

Grier saw those Matthew Schaefer highlights and immediately brought in elite tank commander Fourgiev

 

[Juxtaposer]

I would put money on the Sharks using that 2nd to acquire a player this summer.

 

[vortexy]

I like it a lot. Rental goalie market is real rough in terms of getting any value out of them, a second round pick was hopeful dreaming and Grier got it. Remember we acquired Blackwood for a 6th round pick. Colorado is also retaining 14% of the Georgiev salary

 

[Jargon]

Kovalenko sounds like a goodish bottom 6 guy, I wonder if A. They see something more there, B. Goodrow is more injured than we thought, C. There’s a bottom 6 guy on the way out.

 

[knu]

We should lose a lot more games with him gone. I don't like this on an emotional level because I hate seeing Celebrini sad. But probly good for us overal.

 

[Hobocop]

I saw last night that Askarov wasn't listed on the Barracuda website, but I thought it was just a glitch or lazy updating or something. I guess it was maybe him being taken off in preparation for the promotion?


The interesting thing will be to see what happens with Georgiev and Vanacek. You'd assume one of them has to be Barracuda bound unless they just pay Georgiev to sit at home.

There's been no transaction listed yet, but Askarov might just be coming up to serve as the second goalie until Georgiev gets here.

 

[Saskatoon]

Curious if they tank with Georgiev or bury him and call up Askarov

 

[Tw1ster]

Would have to think one of Georgiev or Vanecek get waived to make room for Askarov?

Like the trade considering what it took to get Blackwood. Seeing some Avs fans sad to lose Kovalenko makes me think there’s potential with him as well. Another good trade by Grier

 

[Jargon]

Would have to think one of Georgiev or Vanecek get waived to make room for Askarov?

Like the trade considering what it took to get Blackwood. Seeing some Avs fans sad to lose Kovalenko makes me think there’s potential with him as well. Another good trade by Grier

Yeah, from what I’ve sussed out it sounds like Kovalenko is actually pretty skilled, fast, etc. on the smaller side but strong and has been playing top 6 minutes competently (though likely not a top 6 player). Sounds like he has room to develop and obviously the Sharks liked him, he doesn’t seem like a plug throw in.

What I’m curious about is whose spot he takes? Card well for now, but what happens when Goodrow and Will come back?

 

[Friday]

Not an ideal time to move Blackwood but a 2nd is a good return. Askarov is probably ready and it’s time to make a lane for him. Sharks are going to take a lot more Ls in this situation though haha

 

[Juxtaposer]

I wish the best to Blackwood, I think he'll do well in Colorado, but this is unequivocally a win for us. Either we have the single most pathetic goaltending duo of all time and easily land the best draft odds or we get to see Asky. Win-win. 2nd rounder is just more capital to add NHL players this summer.

 

[timorous me]

Yeah, from what I’ve sussed out it sounds like Kovalenko is actually pretty skilled, fast, etc. on the smaller side but strong and has been playing top 6 minutes competently (though likely not a top 6 player). Sounds like he has room to develop and obviously the Sharks liked him, he doesn’t seem like a plug throw in.

What I’m curious about is whose spot he takes? Card well for now, but what happens when Goodrow and Will come back?

I'm intrigued by Kovalenko (not just because he's the son of longtime NHLer and now...KHL PA chairman...Andrei Kovalenko). Two seasons of pretty strong production in the KHL. Now he's adjusting to the NHL game on the fly and while the numbers aren't great, you have to think he's likely to only get better from here, which could mean a solid 3rd liner in the future.

We'll see, but that's a fun bonus to go with the 2nd, no matter if it feels like we have a million bottom six guys on the team or in the system already.

 

[hohosaregood]

Wonder where Kovalenko slots in. I'd assume he would get a more permanent spot than Cardwell and Grundstrom probably comes out for Goodrow

 

[sampler]

A 2026 2nd is not that great an extraction for a team that was seeing their entire season tanking before their eyes. I wanted a 1st since Grier holds all the cards (including taking dead salary back in giorgiev, something only a team with lots of space would be willing to do). Its great play for the Avs to rescue their season.

However, if Kovalenko turns out to be a legit top 9 player at age 25, then it's a good deal. He is the X factor. I know very little about him, so I look forward to seeing what he can do. His numbers with COL have been poor, as he is amongst the team leader in minus despite limited playing time, which has been steadily declining with poor play. I'll judge this one by hoe kovalenko turns out, as a 2026 2nd rounder is not worth a whole lot (if they draft a guy, he might be reasonable in like 6+ years).

 

[The Nemesis]

For anyone who doesn't know the return pieces:

Nikolai Kovalenko is the son of former NHLer Andrei Kovalenko. He was born in Raleigh when Andrei was with the Canes for a couple of the final years of his career but he grew up in Russia and came up through the Russian developmental system and the KHL. He was a 6th round pick in the 2018 draft (the round where the Sharks drafted John Leonard) and this was his first proper season in North America (he played 2 playoff games for them last season). He has 8 points (4g, 4a) in 28 games so far this year. He's nicknamed "Tank Jr." after his father, who was famously a fire hydrant of a player (5'10, 200+ lbs) known for being a tenacious forechecker and hard to knock off the puck, but who also had some offensive upside as he recorded seasons of 32, 28, and 27 goals in his 9 years in the NHL with Quebec/Colorado, Edmonton, Carolina, Boston, Montreal, and Philadelphia. Famously he was part of the package that the Avs sent out during their first year after moving from Quebec in order to acquire Patrick Roy from the Canadiens.

Scouting reports for him seem to peg him as a 3rd line/middle 6 support player who can play with a high motor, crash and bang, and with a little bit of scoring pop not unlike his dad. But he's not necessarily as physically stout as Andrei was and he does have a limited ceiling.

He is on the last year of his ELC for just under $900k and will be an RFA at season's end.

Nikolai Kovalenko Stats, Profile, Bio, Analysis and More | Colorado Avalanche | Sports Forecaster

All the latest news, stats and analysis on Nikolai Kovalenko of the Colorado Avalanche on SportsForecaster.com.

sportsforecaster.com

Nikolai Kovalenko

October 2024 - A shoe-in for an NHL roster spot due to his pro experience, Kovalenko did not disappoint in training camp and pre-season, where he was shooting and hitting enough to excite fantasy owners and impress Avs coaching staff. His spot on the Avs was locked in quickly and he is the most...

dobberprospects.com

Colorado Avalanche Top 25 Under 25: #5 Nikolai Kovalenko

It’s almost time to see Tank Jr. in the NHL.

www.milehighhockey.com

Alex Georgiev is a Bulgarian-born netminder who developed in Finland, playing 3 years with TPS Turku of the top Finnish league before being signed by the Rangers after attending their prospect camp. For the next 5 years he was a backup or platoon goalie for the Rangers before they dealt him to Colorado because the Avs needed to shuffle their goaltending after winning the Stanely Cup while the Rangers cleared space for the ascent of Igor Shesterkin. He was an all-star as recently as last season, but his numbers for his career have been a bit up and down and this season in particular he fell off hard and lost his starting role with the Avs, prompting this trade.

He is signed through the end of this season at a cap hit of $3.4 million, after which he will be an Unrestricted Free Agent.


Both picks conveying to the Sharks are Colorado's own. This will give the Sharks two 2nd rounders for 2026 and will slot them back into next draft's 5th round after having dealt their own 2025 5th away last season for Anthony Duclair.

 

[vortexy]

Don't know much about Kovalenko but seems like he's not just some random throw in...

 

[OrrNumber4]

Feels like Grier really squeezed every drop of value that he could. I wonder if Grier wanted the 2025 2nd and settled, or actually targeted the 2026 pick.

 

[sharski]

Fire GMMG

 

[STL Shark]

A 2026 2nd is not that great an extraction for a team that was seeing their entire season tanking before their eyes. I wanted a 1st since Grier holds all the cards (including taking dead salary back in giorgiev, something only a team with lots of space would be willing to do). Its great play for the Avs to rescue their season.

However, if Kovalenko turns out to be a legit top 9 player at age 25, then it's a good deal. He is the X factor. I know very little about him, so I look forward to seeing what he can do. His numbers with COL have been poor, as he is amongst the team leader in minus despite limited playing time, which has been steadily declining with poor play. I'll judge this one by hoe kovalenko turns out, as a 2026 2nd rounder is not worth a whole lot (if they draft a guy, he might be reasonable in like 6+ years).

In what world does a league average rental goalie return a 1st rounder? People suggesting that are truly living in delusion.

 

[Juxtaposer]

If Blackwood starts 30 games, the Avs' 5th becomes a 4th. With 53 remaining games on the schedule for Colorado, I like the odds of that happening.

 

[OrrNumber4]

I'm sure a bunch of youngsters aren't happy about this trade. More forward competition for spots. Feels like this definitely seals the fates of Bordeleau, Gushchin, Robins, and Coe.

 

[hohosaregood]

A 2026 2nd is not that great an extraction for a team that was seeing their entire season tanking before their eyes. I wanted a 1st since Grier holds all the cards (including taking dead salary back in giorgiev, something only a team with lots of space would be willing to do). Its great play for the Avs to rescue their season.

However, if Kovalenko turns out to be a legit top 9 player at age 25, then it's a good deal. He is the X factor. I know very little about him, so I look forward to seeing what he can do. His numbers with COL have been poor, as he is amongst the team leader in minus despite limited playing time, which has been steadily declining with poor play. I'll judge this one by hoe kovalenko turns out, as a 2026 2nd rounder is not worth a whole lot (if they draft a guy, he might be reasonable in like 6+ years).

A 2nd + a top 9 prospect is a good return for a pending UFA goalie

 

[sharski]

i wish GMMG would've gotten Colorado to throw in one of those wonderful "hey btw, if you win the cup with this guy, you gotta kick it up to 1st, call it even?" clauses