According to the Associated Press on Monday, the New Jersey Devils have traded goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood of Thunder Bay, Ontario to the Colorado Avalanche for goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. In addition to Blackwood, the Avalanche are receiving right winger Givani Smith of Toronto, Ontario and San Jose’s fifth round pick in the 2027 National Hockey League Entry Draft. The Sharks meanwhile are also receiving right winger Nikolai Kovalenko, a fifth round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and a second round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
The Avalanche are the third team Blackwood has played for. He previously played five seasons with the New Jersey Devils and two seasons with the San Jose Sharks.
In 19 games with the Sharks in 2024-25, Blackwood has a record of six wins, nine regulation losses, and three losses in extra time. He has a goals against average of 3.00, a save percentage of .909 and one shutout. The shutout came on November 10 in a 1-0 Sharks win over the New Jersey Devils.
This is the second time this season the Avalanche have acquired a Canadian goaltender via a trade. On November 30, they acquired Scott Wedgewood of Brampton, Ontario from the Nashville Predators.
The Avalanche have 32 points and are tied with the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks for the sixth most points in the Western Conference. However, their 103 goals against are the third most in the NHL.
