Mackenzie Blackwood signed a two-year contract with the Sharks.
NEWARK, N.J. -- During the New Jersey Devils' end-of-season media availabilities, goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood spoke about wanting an opportunity next season.
"I love (this) team, I love all the guys, so it would be hard to leave that, but at the end of the day, you want to go where the opportunity is," he said. "...if there's an opportunity (in New Jersey), then absolutely (I would return)."
From an outside perspective, it did not appear there would be an opportunity for the 26-year-old netminder. Vitek Vanecek is under contract for two more seasons, and 23-year-old Akira Schmid earned the chance to start the 2023-24 campaign as Vanecek's partner after his impressive postseason performance.
To no surprise, Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald traded Blackwood, a restricted free agent, to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft. The goaltender later became an unrestricted free agent after he did not receive a qualifying offer from the Sharks before the deadline.
However, on July 1, the Sharks and Thunder Bay native agreed to a two-year, $4.7 million contract with an average annual value of $2.35 million, giving him a fresh start.
"Mackenzie is a big, athletic goaltender with a lot of potential and upside," said Sharks GM Mike Grier. "He will be a good addition to our goaltender group."
Blackwood's Injury History
During his final interview with Devils media, he revealed the two injuries that plagued him during the 2022-23 season.
"The first (injury) I had was my MCL on one of my knees. I don't remember which one it was now, which is good, right," he said with a chuckle. "Later on, I pulled my groin again."
A Realistic Reaction to the Sharks' Newest Acquisition
According to Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, Grier said, at this point, the plan is to start the season with a goaltending tandem of Blackwood and Kaapo Kahkonen.
There is an overall consensus that this is a potential "low-risk, high-reward" signing for the Sharks. When healthy, Blackwood is a capable goaltender who has provided highlight-reel saves throughout his career. Whether it was a sprawling pad save or flashing the glove, he showed potential before dealing with injuries.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dSmt2U5Cj0[/embed]
On May 13, the 6-foot-4 goaltender said he would modify some off-ice training this summer to help him remain healthy and avoid further injuries. Entering training camp healthy and having consistency to start the season will be beneficial and be indicative of his performance in his first season with the Sharks.
Blackwood will reunite with former New Jersey teammates Fabian Zetterlund and Nikita Okhotiuk, who will fight for a roster spot in training camp.
In sports, fans will occasionally see an organization make a move that not only benefits them but the individual player as well. This could be one of those instances. Blackwood will get the opportunity he wanted and can start fresh with an organization that will not have a high expectation entering next season, allowing him to find his rhythm and game.