The Avalanche’s crease picture is starting to sharpen, and MacKenzie Blackwood is the biggest reason why.
There was enough early-season noise to make the situation feel unsettled. Blackwood had a couple of shaky starts out of the gate, and coach Jared Bednar’s comments about the need for timely saved only added to the doubt around Colorado’s goaltending.
Now, though, the conversation looks a lot different.
Blackwood has won his last two starts, stopping 24 shots against the Dallas Stars and then 30 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Those games unfolded in very different ways, but both ended with the same result: he kept Colorado afloat when it needed that most.
Against Dallas, he helped the Avalanche stay in the fight against a tough divisional opponent. Against Pittsburgh, he steadied a team that had to climb out of a disastrous first period. In both cases, Blackwood bought the offense enough time to catch up.
Through six games, the 29-year-old is 4-? No - 4 wins, with a 2.86 GAA and an .891 SV%. Those numbers are not eye-popping, but they do point to something important: Colorado can count on him when the pressure starts to build.
Scott Wedgewood has done his part, too.
In two starts, the veteran backup is 1-0-0 with a 2.40 GAA and a .902 SV%. He hasn’t posted Vezina-level numbers, but he’s been steady, and that matters. It gives the Avalanche a sense of calm behind Blackwood.
What’s different from last season is the clarity. Wedgewood now looks like the backup, while Blackwood is getting the bulk of the starts.
The contract situation backs that up as well. Blackwood has three more years left on his deal after this season, while Wedgewood is set to become a UFA this summer. That makes the organization’s direction fairly easy to read.
Could Wedgewood still stick around? Sure. But for now, the picture in Colorado is pretty clear: Blackwood is the guy, and unless something changes in a major way, there’s little reason to think otherwise.
In Other News...
Dave Hakstol Just Gave Avalanche Fans A Fast Reminder
Dave Hakstol wasted no time making an impression in Tempe, picking up his first win as Arizona States head coach in a 5-4 victory over UMass Lowell not long after leaving the Avalanche. The Sun Devils grabbed an early lead and then had to hang on through a late push, a familiar sort of test for any coach settling into a new job, and Hakstols rsum gives Arizona State reason to believe it has a steady hand guiding the program.
For Colorado fans, his quick success is a useful reminder of the experience Hakstol is taking with him. He arrives with a coaching background that stretches across both the collegiate and NHL ranks, and even in a new setting, he has already shown the kind of structure and resilience that can show up fast on the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Suddenly Have A Depth Forward Problem They Cant Fix Yet
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OConnors situation is a little different, since he is healthy but will remain in Denver to get up to speed and because of salary cap considerations tied to his long-term injured reserve status. It leaves Colorado in a tricky spot for a stretch that already asks plenty of its lineup, and it is the sort of roster puzzle that can tighten quickly if the injuries linger even a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Lehkonens Hot Start Is Putting Real Pressure On Colorado
Artturi Lehkonen has opened the season in a way that has given the Avalanche another problem worth having. With six goals in eight games, he has put together the best start of his career while once again showing why Colorado has always valued him for more than just the score sheet. He has long been the sort of player who can tilt a game with timely offense and steady two-way work, and this early surge only strengthens the case that he belongs in the clubs long-term plans.
The timing matters because Lehkonens contract is set to expire, which adds another layer to what is already shaping up as a key decision for Colorado. The Avalanche know what he has meant in big moments before, especially in the playoffs, and now they are seeing him provide even more regular-season production than usual. When a player with that track record starts this hot, it tends to sharpen the conversation quickly, even if the final answer is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]