Avalanche sign Mackenzie Blackwood to five-year, $5.25 million AAV contract extension

The Colorado Avalanche are locking down their netminder for the future.

On Friday, the team announced they had signed goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to a five-year contract extension. The deal, which will kick in next season, will have an AAV of $5.25 million through the 2029-30 campaign, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Blackwood was a pending unrestricted free agent as he is in the final season of his two-year contract that he signed with the San Jose Sharks on July 2023, which has a cap hit of $2.35 million.

The 28-year-old has made a significant impression in his short time in Denver. The Avalanche acquired him from the Sharks, along with Givani Smith and a draft pick, for Alexandar Georgiev, Nikolai Kovalenko and two picks on Dec. 9.

In his four appearances with Colorado, Blackwood has gone 3-1 with a 2.03 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. That includes a 39-save performance against the Nashville Predators in his debut with the team on Dec. 14.

In 13 games thus far in 2024-25, Blackwood is 9-10-3 with a 2.83 GAA, a .914 SV% and one shutout.

The Thunder Bay, Ontario native joined the Sharks after the New Jersey Devils traded him in June 2023. Blackwood was a highly-touted goaltending prospect when the Devils took him in in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft. However, injuries and a couple of tough seasons in New Jersey led to him being sent to the Golden State.

That said, Blackwood’s play with subpar teams has kept him in the conversation to play for Team Canada in a best-on-best tournament. However, he was left off the roster for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.

In 219 NHL appearances, Blackwood has a career record of 84-92-25 with a 3.05 GAA, a .905 SV% and 11 shutouts. He has yet to play in a Stanley Cup Playoff game.

The Avalanche (21-15-0) are third in the Central Division, nine points back of the Winnipeg Jets for first place.