Former San Jose Sharks netminder Alexandar Georgiev has signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres.
Georgiev joined the Sharks last season as part of the return in a trade that saw MacKenzie Blackwood sent to the Colorado Avalanche. Much like in his time in Colorado, the Bulgaria-born goaltender struggled during his time in San Jose.
In 31 appearances for the Sharks, Georgiev had a 3.88 goals against average and a .875 save percentage. Unsurprisingly, the Sharks opted not to renew his contract following the 2024-25 season. After spending the summer as an unrestricted free agent, he finally gets another opportunity to bounce back.
Making the Sabres roster won’t be easy for Georgiev, and he isn’t likely to start the season in Buffalo as things currently stand.
He’ll be battling Alex Lyon and Devon Levi for the second NHL job behind Ukko-Pekka Luukonen and finding playing time in the American Hockey League may even be difficult for Georgiev. In the AHL, the Rochester Americans will also have prospects Scott Ratzlaff and Topias Leinonen fighting for playing time.
Now that he’s been given an opportunity to show what he can do, Georgiev’s future is in his own hands once again.
