Oilers Miss Out on Top Goalie Target Mackenzie Blackwood, Traded by San Jose Sharks
Moments ago, news broke that the San Jose Sharks have traded goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to the Colorado Avalanche.
Blackwood had been listed as a primary trade target for the Edmonton Oilers if they had wished to add in their crease.
Instead, Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the Colorado Avalanche have made the bold early move to bolster their goaltending before another team swooped in.
Shockingly, the Avalanche are sending their own starter in return for the trade. Alexander Georgiev will be going the other way in the deal.
Colorado Avalanche Acquire Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks
Blackwood is a 28 year old goalie who's started 215 games in his NHL career after being drafted in the second round by the New Jersey Devils in 2015.
Spending the last two seasons with the Sharks as their primary starter, he's begun to show signs that he can be a high-end goalie.
On a Sharks team that's hemorrhaging chances against every night, Blackwood has posted a very respectable .910 save percentage this year.
The biggest benefit to Blackwood this season for a contending team like Colorado is his contract. Blackwood only costs $2.35M this season, and is a UFA upon expiry of his contract.
Should the Edmonton Oilers have traded for Mackenzie Blackwood?
Many Oilers fans were hoping that Stan Bowman would make a move to add Blackwood to the roster.
Stuart Skinner had been inconsistent early this season and many still have their doubts that he can be a starting goalie for a contending team. Blackwood's salary was low enough that the Oilers could've run a tandem with both Skinner and Blackwood.
In the end, Colorado made the move to acquire Blackwood first, but the Oilers seem to be willing to sink or swim with their homegrown starter. Skinner has always come out to over perform his contract value, and once again, the Oilers are betting on him.
Still, plenty of Oilers fans are upset that Edmonton didn't make the move for Blackwood.
Stuart Skinner has begun to find his game in recent weeks, and hopefully that's a trend that continues. If not, and the goalie questions rise again, the Oilers will be pinching themselves they didn't act on Blackwood.
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