SIGNED: Huge New Extension is Done For Mackenzie Blackwood

All it took was four games for the Colorado Avalanche to realize that Mackenzie Blackwood is a keeper (excuse the pun). With a .931 save percentage and 2.03 goals against average, Blackwood seems like the long-awaited answer between the pipes for the Avs, and they've locked him up to a huge five-year extension.

Five more years in burgundy and blue for Mackenzie Blackwood!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/IlhB9qgRpq
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 27, 2024

It's said to be 5 years at a $5.25 million AAV. He was a pending unrestricted free agent.

Colorado made the rare goalie-for-goalie trade back on January 9th, dealing Alexandar Georgiev to the San Jose Sharks in return for the 28-year-old Blackwood, hoping he is the missing piece in their quest to return to the Cup finals.

"When we acquired Mackenzie a few weeks ago, we wanted to let him get to Denver, get acclimated to his new team, new city and then in due time we'd reach out to him and his representatives," Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a statement. "We are thrilled to get this deal done now and have Mackenzie under contract for the next six years.

"As I said when we acquired him, we feel like Mackenzie has just gotten better and better every year and he has come in and done a great job with us in his first few starts. He's a big body, athletic goaltender who is still young and still growing as a goaltender."

For his seven-year career, Blackwood has a .905 Sv% with a 3.05 GAA, but this is the first Stanley Cup contender he's had in front of him, and so far, he's excelling at the opportunity, stopping 108 of the 116 shots directed his way over his four games for Colorado.

The Avs are 6-1-0 since the trade and have moved up to 3rd place in the Central Division.