It’s not the NHL commerce deadline but, however we’ve had a few outstanding trades in the previous few days. First, it was Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Geese on Friday. Right now, the Colorado Avalanche acquired Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks. Going to the Sharks was Alexandar Georgiev, who has struggled this season. Right here’s the total deal:
To the Avalanche:
- Blackwood,
- Givani Smith
- 2027 fifth-round choose
To the Sharks:
The Avalanche have utterly modified their goaltending tandem within the final two weeks, as additionally they acquired Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators simply ten days in the past. In the meantime, the Sharks get a stable return for Blackwood after buying him for a sixth-round choose from the New Jersey Devils practically two years in the past.
Avalanche Want an Improve in Internet
Georgiev has been struggling mightily this season, totaling a save proportion of .874 whereas giving up 9.4 objectives above anticipated. It’s no shock the Avalanche had been attempting to make a change, particularly since Georgiev struggled a season in the past, and they need to get one with Blackwood.
Associated: 10 Pending UFAs Who Might Be 2025 Commerce Deadline Candidates
The Sharks are removed from playoff contenders, however Blackwood has been taking part in properly this season. The league-average SV% in 2024-25 has been hovering proper round .895, and Blackwood has been properly above that. He has a .909 SV% in 19 video games whereas saving 3.9 objectives above anticipated.
Had the Avalanche been getting league-average netminding from Georgiev by way of their first 29 video games, they’d most likely have a greater document than 16-13-0. If Blackwood offers the goaltending he has for the Sharks with the Avalanche, I’d anticipate them to take off within the standings and begin pushing for one of many high spots within the Central Division.
The Avalanche did lose a little bit of ahead depth by buying and selling Kovalenko to the Sharks, however they need to have the ability to handle since they’ve been getting more healthy in current weeks. Total, this can be a commerce the Avalanche needed to make as a result of they had been unlikely to get by with Georgiev in internet for the rest of the season. Blackwood ought to give the workforce the steadiness they’ve been in search of in between the pipes.
Avalanche Grade: B+
Sharks Get a Stable Return on Funding
The Sharks made a daring transfer for Yaroslav Askarov this offseason, so their future in internet appears to be like prefer it’s in good condition. That made it simpler to half with Blackwood, who’s within the remaining yr of his contract and will likely be an unrestricted free agent this summer time. And it’s arduous to fault normal supervisor Mike Grier for passing up on a return like this for Blackwood.
Goalies don’t normally internet large returns in trades, and although this isn’t a grand slam for the Sharks, they nonetheless did properly. Kovalenko is the centerpiece and will flip into one thing, particularly since there needs to be extra taking part in time for him in San Jose than with the Avalanche.
Kovalenko has 4 objectives and eight factors in 28 video games — a 12-goal, 24-point tempo over 82 video games — however that got here largely taking part in bottom-six minutes with the Avalanche. On condition that the Sharks are rebuilding, I think about they see a job for him someplace of their center six.
Kovalenko’s manufacturing within the KHL additionally suggests there’s a participant value taking a flyer on. He totaled 21 objectives and 54 factors in 56 video games with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in 2022-23 and 11 objectives and 35 factors in 42 video games the next season. Maybe he’ll flourish with the Sharks now that he’ll get extra taking part in time.
As for Georgiev, he’ll even be a UFA this summer time, however I can’t envision the Sharks signing him. My guess is that they hope he performs a bit higher for them and that they will flip him forward of the commerce deadline in March. Add within the two draft picks, and this was a tidy little bit of enterprise from Grier and the Sharks, contemplating what they acquired Blackwood for 2 years in the past.
Sharks Grade: A-
Superior stats from MoneyPuck
