As training camps approach league wide, optimism reigns supreme. Avalanche Nation is hoping the team hits on all cylinders again this season, and bring a little extra during the playoffs, as the hope when the season begins is always to lift the ultimate trophy.
To do that, the team needs to be successful in all aspects—including goaltending. Last season, the Avalanche were blessed with two goalies who played exquisitely, winning the Jennings Trophy, which is awarded to the team who allows the fewest goals during the regular season.
The goalies at the center of that tandem were Scott Wedgewood, previous career backup who’s seen a resurgence in Colorado, and Mackenzie Blackwood, highly touted goaltender making over $5 million per season in his contract.
Wedgewood took command of the crease to start last season, and although he had a few stretches of inconsistent play, he mostly kept the crease all season, even after Blackwood returned from injury.
It came as a surprise to many across the NHL landscape as, again, Wedgewood hadn’t been able to establish himself as a number one netminder to that point in his career.
The question to be asked, which the Avalanche success for this upcoming season may hinge upon, is whether Wedgewood can maintain last season’s successes or was that just an anomaly and he’ll see a return to the mean of his career this season.
Wedgewood played the most games he’s ever played last season, seeing the net 45 times. His record was stellar, 31-6 in regulation and another six in overtime. His previous career-high in games was 37 in 2021-22, split across time with three different teams.
Wedgewood’s goals-against average was far and away the best of his career at 2.02. His next-best career goals against average season was in 2022-23 with Dallas, when he had a 2.72 goals-against average across 21 games played.
The Avalanche netminder also had a career-high save percentage last season at .921, which is points above his 2022-23 season with Dallas where he had a .915 save percentage.
It’s not out of the question that a goalie that’s primarily been a backup his entire career gets thrust into the starting role and seizes the opportunity for the long haul. Two former Bruins goalies come to mind, Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask. Rask was a younger backup at the time, just breaking into the league before he took over the crease, but Thomas had a long road to controlling the crease in Boston, not seizing the top spot until he was 32-years-old.
Wedgewood’s now 33-years-old, and Avs Nation hopes he has similar results to Thomas for the rest of his career, at least while he wears the burgundy and blue.
The signs are there for his run to continue. While wearing the Avs’ sweater, his goals-against average is a combined 2.02, with a .920 save percentage in 64 games. Those are Vezina-caliber numbers, and the bulk of the reason the team played so well defensively last season.
With the team having two capable goaltenders, it stands to reason that even if Wedgewood reverts back to his career average, they’ll still be a quality team, and have quality netminding, but it’s also likely they won’t get as quality a regular season as their Presidents’ Trophy last season.
As Mackenzie Blackwood makes more money than Wedgewood does, as well as the high hopes the team has for him, it stands that the primary goaltending job is his to lose. With his propensity for injury, however, the Avalanche will need Wedgewood to provide the same ability he did last season, even if it’s in a fill-in role.
Fans of the Avalanche would like nothing more than for Wedgewood to break the career backup role and take the team to the promised land.
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