Goaltending Might Pose A Drawback For The Avalanche This Season

The Colorado Avalanche kicked off their 2024-2025 season final evening towards the Vegas Golden Knights, as they start their quest to win the Stanley Cup for the 2nd time in 4 years. Nonetheless, the sport went sideways for the Avalanche as they allowed 8 targets on simply 21 photographs towards in a 8-4 loss at T-Cellular Area final evening.

Alexandar Georgiev, who the Avalanche acquired from the New York Rangers in the summertime of 2022, was in between the pipes for the Avs and his evening did not precisely go as deliberate.

Georgiev allowed 5 targets on simply 16 photographs towards, earlier than he was pulled in favor of backup Justus Annunen. In mop up obligation, Annunen did not fare a lot better because the 24-year previous allowed 2 targets on simply 4 photographs towards. The tough evening in objective for the Avalanche wasted an excellent evening from Mikko Rantanen, that noticed the potential UFA to-be rating a hat-trick within the opening recreation of the season.

Related: ‘It’s Done When It’s Done.’ Avalanche Star Forward Focused On Coming Season; Not Contract Negotiations.

Whereas it is only one recreation in what’s a really lengthy 82 recreation season, goaltending as been a difficulty for the Avalanche courting again to final season.

In Georgievs’ first season in Colorado after being acquired from the Rangers for a few third spherical picks in addition to a fifth spherical choice, Georgiev delivered the kind of goaltending the Avalanche had been anticipating. Georgiev turned out a .919 save share and a 2.51 targets towards common in the course of the 22-23 season, main the Avs to 40 wins that season, all profession highs. Final season nonetheless, was a special story.

Final 12 months Georgiev turned out the worst season of his profession statistically as a starter. Georgievs’ save share fell all the best way to sub .900 at .897 and had a targets towards common of three.02.

As Georgiev is within the last 12 months a 3-year contract that pays him $3.40M yearly, Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland should determine if he could be the man who can carry the Avalanche again to the promised land in objective.

Backing up Georgiev this season is Finnish goaltender Justus Annunen, who solely has 19 video games of NHL expertise. Whereas the pattern measurement is small, Annunen does have a profession save share of .911, so there’s a risk that Annunen might be a viable beginning goaltender within the NHL sooner or later. Within the occasion that Georgiev had been to proceed to falter, it’s probably too quickly handy the reigns over to Annunen, which leaves the Avalanche in a less-than prime state of affairs.

The goaltending market in the course of the season is not normally too lively, leaving groups with not many decisions to make an improve.

One workforce although to regulate is the Minnesota Wild. The Wild have determined to go together with the considerably uncommon three-headed-monster in objective, as they’ve future Corridor of Famer in Marc-Andre Fleury, Filip Gustavsson and promising prime goaltender prospect in Jesper Wallstedt all on their roster. With this season probably being Fleury’s final and presumably not wanting to maneuver at any level and Wallstedt being the longer term in objective for the Wild, there’s a likelihood that possibly sooner or later Gustavsson may change into accessible. Gustavsson, 26, has two years remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $3.75M. Whether or not or not Wild GM Invoice Guerin would transfer him to a division rival is a narrative for an additional day.

So for now, the Avalanche will proceed down the highway this season with the tandem of Georgiev/Annunen, hoping that Georgiev reverts again to his 22-23 kind. They’ll want him to in the event that they need to return to the Stanley Cup Finals.