The Colorado Avalanche were on the verge of having their season completely sabotaged by subpar goaltending before getting two capable NHL goaltenders, says Ken Campbell. Alexandar Georgiev [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExMjgzMjQxMjg4NjA2ODc5/usatsi_24545630_168400847_lowres.jpg] Alexandar Georgiev The Colorado Avalanche traded Alexandar Georgiev to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Mackenzie Blackwood on Monday. The Avalanche also sent forward Nikolai Kovalenko, a 2025 fifth-round draft pick and a 2026 second-round pick to the Sharks for forward Givani Smith and a fifth-round pick in 2027. The 2025 fifth-rounder heading to San Jose will become the worse of Colorado's current fourth-round picks in 2025 (their selection and Vancouver's pick) if the Avalanche make the third round of the 2024-25 playoffs and if Blackwood wins 25 regular-season games and starts in at least 30 regular-season games from now until the end of the campaign. This is Colorado's second goaltender trade since Nov. 30. They previously traded Justus Annunen and a 2025 sixth-round pick [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche/latest-news/avalanche-trade-annunen-to-nashville-add-wedgewood] to the Nashville Predators in exchange for goalie Scott Wedgewood. With Georgiev heading to the Sharks, the Avalanche now have a new-look tandem of Blackwood and Wedgewood after having the NHL's worst team save percentage of .866, per naturalstattrick.com [https://www.naturalstattrick.com/teamtable.php?fromseason=20242025&thruseason=20242025&stype=2&sit=all&score=all&rate=n&team=all&loc=B&gpf=410&fd=&td=]. They are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games and sit in the Western Conference's second wild-card spot. Blackwood, 28, had a .911 save percentage, 3.00 goals-against average and a 6-9-3 record in 19 games for the Sharks this season. Georgiev, 28, posted a .874 SP, 3.38 GAA and 8-7-0 record in 18 games for the Avalanche before the trade. The 26-year-old Smith played six games for the Sharks this season, averaging 6:17 of time on ice and recording seven hits, three blocked shots and 10 penalty minutes. In 161 career NHL games, Smith has nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points. Kovalenko, meanwhile, played his first 28 career NHL games this season with the Avalanche. The 25-year-old has four goals and four assists for eight points while averaging 12 minutes of ice time. The Avalanche freed $670,250 of salary in the trade. They now have about $3 million of cap space with Gabriel Landeskog, Miles Wood and Tucker Poolman on long-term injured reserve, according to PuckPedia [https://puckpedia.com/team/colorado-avalanche]. Blackwood is in the final season of a two-year contract worth $2.35 million annually. San Jose still has about $8 million in cap space. Georgiev joins a tandem with Vitek Vanecek, while highly touted goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov is third in the depth chart. Georgiev and Vanecek are in the final years of three-year contracts. Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here [https://info.thehockeynews.com/mail/microsites/951/1/gTeQVf?_gl=1*ustlbj*_ga*NjkyMzUxMy4xNjYzNjIwMzQ3*_ga_PK63FB1PME*MTcxMzUwOTExNi40NDguMS4xNzEzNTA5MjA5LjU5LjAuMA..]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum [https://thehockeynews.rtb.io/THNHOME/posts].
