Scott Wedgewood’s hold on a place in the Avalanche crease is looking a lot shakier than it did when the season began.
What started as a question about Colorado’s goaltending depth has turned into something much more pointed. MacKenzie Blackwood has clearly separated himself as the starter, and Wedgewood’s recent stretch has only added to the uncertainty around his future with the club.
The veteran backup is still on the roster and still capable of giving Colorado useful minutes. But the numbers have not helped his case. Wedgewood carries a 4.02 GAA and an .867 SV%, and with a UFA status waiting for him at the end of the season, that kind of production naturally puts his spot in doubt.
There’s also the money side of it. Wedgewood comes with a $2.5 million cap hit this season, and if Colorado decides not to bring him back, the team would open up about $1.5 million in cap space.
With Cale Makar’s monster extension set to kick in, that kind of flexibility could matter a lot. The Avalanche may simply decide to lean into a youth movement rather than commit another deal to the 34-year-old.
If that happens, Colorado does have internal answers ready.
Trent Miner is the most immediate option. The 25-year-old has been waiting in the wings for a couple of seasons, and his limited NHL sample has been strong: a 2.23 GAA and a .915 SV% in six career games.
He also has a 2.53 GAA and a .921 SV% in four games with the Colorado Eagles this season. Miner missed the first month because of an injury, but since returning, he has looked like a solid starting goalie.
Then there’s Ilya Nabokov, who has continued to build a case as the long-term answer. In nine games this season, he has a 2.19 AA and a .927 SV% with the Eagles. Those are excellent numbers for the AHL and the kind that keep pushing him closer to the NHL picture.
That doesn’t mean Colorado is locked into a Blackwood-Nabokov setup next season. A camp competition for the backup job would still be in play. Miner, though, appears to have the edge because he would need waivers to be sent back down to the Eagles, while Nabokov would not.
Even so, the cleanest path for Colorado may be to start next season with Blackwood and Nabokov and sort out the rest as it goes. If the Avalanche move on from Wedgewood, they’ll have options.
In Other News...
Devon Toews Is Becoming A Bigger Avalanche Weapon Than Expected
Devon Toews has been one of the quieter reasons the Avalanche have stayed on track early this season, and his production has started to look a lot less quiet. He has 18 points in 19 games, and in the 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs he chipped in a goal and an assist while Colorado kept building momentum behind another strong night from Mackenzie Blackwood.
Jared Bednars decision to separate Toews and Cale Makar after Josh Mansons injury has given Toews a little more room to push offensively, and the results have shown up quickly. For a team that improved to 11-6-2 with the victory, the bigger question now is how much more of that added freedom the Avalanche can keep giving him as the schedule rolls on. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Need An Answer From Noah Juulsen In A Bigger Role
Josh Mansons injury has opened a door on the Avalanche blue line, and it puts Noah Juulsen in a spot he has been chasing for years. The former first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens has already lived through the hard parts of an NHL career, from injuries to team changes, but he arrives in Colorado with something he has not always had before: a two-year contract and a little stability.
Now the Avalanche need that stability to show up on the ice. With Manson expected to miss about eight weeks, Juulsen is being asked to handle a bigger role and give Colorado dependable defensive minutes while the lineup absorbs the loss. The opportunity is real, and so is the pressure, because the Avalanche are counting on him to turn a fresh chance into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Sent A Loud Message In Toronto Behind A Familiar Star
Gabriel Landeskog gave Colorado exactly the kind of night that travels well, scoring twice and putting the Avalanche in front for good in a 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. The result pushed Colorado to 11-6-2 and showed a team getting offense from across the lineup, with Devon Toews, Cale Makar, Brock Nelson, Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas all factoring into the scoring surge.
For a club that has wanted more consistency early, this was the sort of statement win that can carry some weight. Toronto got goals from Darren Raddysh, Jack Roslovic and Easton Cowan, but the Avalanche kept answering and leaned on a familiar star to close the door, a reminder that when Landeskog is finishing chances and Colorado is rolling its depth, the ceiling looks a lot higher. [Read more 🡒]