The Colorado Avalanche are about to hand their goalie situation a spotlight it doesn’t usually get.
With a home-and-home against the Dallas Stars coming up, Colorado is staring at its second back-to-back of the 2026-27 season. In setups like this, teams usually split the crease between the starter and the backup, and that’s what makes this stretch so interesting for the Avalanche. It could also say a lot about how Jared Bednar sees his netminders right now.
Bednar has seemingly opened camp and the early part of the regular season with Scott Wedgewood as the backup. But Mackenzie Blackwood’s grip on the starting job has already come under scrutiny after a rocky start, including the struggles against the Toronto Maple Leafs this past weekend.
That puts Colorado in a tricky spot. Blackwood’s contract only matters if he performs like a starter, and if he doesn’t, the Avalanche are left with a deal that doesn’t fit the way they need to manage their money.
Kevin Weekes recently floated Blackwood as a possible trade target for the New York Rangers, who now need a starter of their own after Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury. Blackwood still carries a $5.25 million AAV this season, and he already received a $1 million bonus for 2026-27 around July 1.
His AAV ranks 24th among goalies. If Colorado were to move him, the cap hit would be prorated based on how much of the season remains, which could still make him appealing as a short-term answer.
But the longer-term commitment through 2029-30 could complicate any deal.
Wedgewood’s situation is almost the mirror image. He is on a one-year contract that expires, which means if he were elevated to the starter’s role and delivered, he could be in line for starter money on his next deal. At age 35, that might be the last big contract of his career.
There’s also the possibility that Colorado simply lets Wedgewood walk and heads forward with Ilya Nabokov in net, something fans may want sooner rather than later. But that doesn’t sound like a clean or obvious path from here.
What makes this even more delicate is that Wedgewood has already earned the trust of the coaching staff. Last season, he was Colorado’s starter in 2025-26, and he handled the biggest regular-season and playoff assignments.
Bednar kept turning to him when the games mattered most, and Wedgewood backstopped the Avalanche to their winningest regular season in franchise history. He also got the crease in key playoff games before Colorado was eliminated, and most people would not put that exit on the goaltending.
So when Bednar chose Blackwood in the lone divisional matchup so far this season, it stood out. The next decision, for the road game against Dallas, could reveal even more.
If Blackwood gets the call and bounces back, it reinforces the idea that Bednar still believes in him. If Wedgewood gets the nod instead, it could mean confidence in Blackwood is already slipping.
The order matters here because the second game in the back-to-back comes on home ice, and the group in front of the goalie may be more worn down by then. That makes it harder to read the matchup cleanly.
Is the road game against the Stars the tougher ask, or does the home game behind a tired skater group become the bigger test? Either way, the context matters.
One thing does need to be said clearly: the loss to Toronto was not only on the goalies. Yes, Colorado would like a stop or two in a game with defensive breakdowns.
But leaving all-star talent alone in front of the net is not a winning formula. Bednar said nearly the same thing, noting he would have liked a save or two from Blackwood, but he could not put all six goals on him.
That part should matter moving forward, especially for a blue line that has been a little underwhelming outside the top pair.
The next few days could quiet this whole debate for a while if the Avalanche play well. Then again, this feels like the kind of issue that will hover around Colorado for much of the season. If the defense keeps wobbling and the goalies hold up, trade chatter will only grow louder, because many will view the Avalanche’s netminders as pieces other teams could want.
In the end, Joe Sakic will decide based on performance, and that will shape whatever comes next for Colorado in goal. Fans will have plenty to say along the way, but their opinions won’t be the ones making the calls.
In Other News...
Avalanche Suddenly Have More Riding On Trent Miner Than Expected
The Avalanches handling of Trent Miner this week spoke to how thin the margins can be when a team is juggling goaltending depth. Colorado activated Miner off injured reserve and put him on waivers with the intent of sending him back to the Eagles, a routine enough transaction on paper, but one that happened as teams around the league were watching the crease market closely.
For Colorado, Miner is suddenly carrying more long-term significance than a standard roster shuffle would suggest. He has been part of the organizations goaltending conversation before, and with the Avalanche dealing with current struggles and contract questions in net, his future role is drawing more attention than it might have a month ago. Even a move designed to clear a path for reassignment now feels tied to bigger decisions ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Former Avs Assistant Leaves Colorado With One Big Question For Bednar
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For the Avalanche, the timing at least brings a clean break from a coach who had been running the power play, but it also leaves one obvious question for Jared Bednar and his staff: what comes next on that side of the bench? Colorado had allowed Hakstol to explore the ASU opening, and with the Sun Devils searching for stability amid ongoing inquiries by university police and legal actions from Mayichs family, his next step could come quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Lose A Key Coach As Power Play Questions Keep Growing
Dave Hakstols brief stay on the Avalanche bench is ending after one season, with the veteran coach set to move on from Colorados staff. Hakstol, who came to the Avalanche after previously serving as head coach of the Seattle Kraken, brought a rsum built on experience behind the bench and a presence the organization had counted on as it tried to keep its coaching structure stable.
For Colorado, the timing adds another layer to a power play that has already been under scrutiny lately. The club has not announced a replacement, leaving an important piece of the staff picture unsettled as the Avalanche sort through what Hakstols exit means for a unit that needed help before this news broke. [Read more 🡒]