MacKenzie Blackwood’s back-to-back shutouts have proven he’s the real deal for the Colorado Avalanche. When the Avs traded for Blackwood earlier this season, skeptics called out Colorado for making a seemingly desperate move.
However, Blackwood has been every bit as advertised. He has not only stabilized the crease, but he’s also provided elite-level goaltending.
That’s not something that’s easy to do, much less sustain in the NHL. Initially, I had posited that Blackwood benefitted from the boost following the trade. My concern was that boost would wear off, exposing the player critics claimed Blackwood was.
Thus far, that hasn’t been the case. Beyond the natural bumps in the road, Blackwood proved that he’s the goalie the New Jersey Devils hoped he’d be. The Devils gave up on Blackwood despite icing a bad team in front of him.
The San Jose Sharks gave him a chance, and just like New Jersey, they put a bad team in front of him. So, it shouldn’t have been a surprise to see Blackwood struggle.
In Colorado, the story has been much different. First of all, the Avalanche are much better than the Sharks or the Devils of previous seasons. Offensively, the Avs can score while playing a much more defensively sound game.
That situation has led to a positive feedback loop. Blackwood is confident in the team in front of him, and the Avs are confident in the goaltender playing behind them. In short, the team and goalie feed off one another.
That’s a recipe for success.
If the Avs and Blackwood can sustain consistency throughout the rest of the season, they should be in a good spot heading into the playoffs. The Avalanche could become the Western Conference’s most dangerous team by the time the postseason rolls around.