For the third consecutive season, the Avalanche will have a new No. 1 netminder.
Following discussions with Stanley Cup-winning goaltender and pending unrestricted free agent Darcy Kuemper, the Avs switched their focus to the trade market instead, acquiring goalie Alexandar Georgiev from the New York Rangers.
Georgiev, 26, was 15-10-2 with a career-low .898 save percentage last season but finished the year with an 8-1 record and two shutouts. Colorado is sending a package of picks to New York in return, which includes a third and fifth-round pick in 2022 and a third-round pick in 2023.
The Russian netminder is a pending restricted free agent coming off a two-year deal that paid him $2.425 million per season. The Avs hold his negotiating rights and will likely sign him to an extension soon.
In 128 NHL appearances, Georgiev has a 58-48-11 record, all of which came with the Rangers, where he signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
Kuemper and the Avs had cordial conversations on Wednesday, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. General manager Joe Sakic did not make any formal offers to Kuemper upon speaking with his agents. The Stanley Cup-winning goalie is expected to hit the market on Wednesday, effectively ending his one-year tenure with the Avs.
The Avalanche hold just two picks in this year’s NHL entry draft. Barring any future moves, Colorado’s selections will come in the sixth and seventh rounds.
__
Aarif Deen is our Colorado Avalanche beat reporter. He covers Avs games live from Ball Arena and attends practices, media availabilities and other events pertaining to the Avs on the daily beat. He is also a co-host of Hockey Mountain High: Your go-to Avalanche Podcast. Deen joined Mile High Sports upon completion of his bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in business administration from the University of Michigan – Dearborn. Before Mile High Sports, Deen worked for the Michigan Wolverines Athletics Department as the assistant sports information director.