Mackenzie Blackwood was nearly perfect in his Colorado Avalanche debut, both on and off the ice.
Sure, he had just authored a sensational opening act in Denver but there was an important piece of business shortly after being named the No. 1 star of the game at Ball Arena. He was also the recipient of the “big hat” — Colorado’s internal player of the game award from Noggin Boss.
Blackwood took the photo for the team’s social media, but with one minor faux pas — he didn’t keep it on for his postgame media scrum.
“It feels great,” Blackwood started to answer in his normal-sized Avs cap before a stern voice from several stalls away interrupted him.
“Put the hat on, (Blackwood),” Cale Makar said.
If he keeps playing like this, Blackwood will get used to how the big hat feels. Blackwood made 37 saves in his Avalanche debut, helping the sick and sluggish-at-first club fend off the Nashville Predators in a 5-2 victory.
Several players on the Avs roster — including Blackwood — are dealing with an illness that has swept through the locker room. The team hasn’t practiced much lately, both a combination of trying to save energy and giving guys time to fend off being sick.
Blackwood stopped 51 of 54 shots for the San Jose Sharks last Saturday, then didn’t spend much time this week on the ice before his first action this Saturday against the Predators. It didn’t look like the week had much of an effect on the goalie.
While the rest of the team scuffled, Blackwood was locked in. He stopped all 13 shots in the first period and the first 36 he saw in a Colorado uniform before a couple of late goals against.
Facing a high volume of shots is nothing for Blackwood. He faced 38 or more in six of his 19 appearances for the Sharks this season. His first start for San Jose after joining the club ahead of the 2023-24 season was a banger and may have played a small role in his landing with the Avalanche.
Blackwood stopped 51 of 52 shots against the Avs in a 2-1 shootout loss at SAP Center. General manager Chris MacFarland noted that Blackwood had some pretty strong performances against the Avs after trading for him, and none were better than that one.
“I think when you get a lot of shots, it just gets you involved in the game,” Blackwood said. “Sometimes when you’re not getting too many, it can be challenging to keep yourself engaged.
“I think that was a good game to start off with, and hopefully we can build off it.”
Avs coach Jared Bednar heaped praise on his new goalie, noting how well he controlled the game. The raw tools that Blackwood possesses are also not lost on the coach.
Blackwood is 6-foot-4 and listed at 225 pounds. He fills out a uniform well, and he fills up the net. He’s also one of the best athletes in the league. In some ways, he brings a combination of Justus Annunen’s size and Alexandar Georgiev’s quickness and mobility.
“When a 6-foot-4 goalie goes into the butterfly, you’re shooting at this,” Bednar said while making a small circle near his ear. “When a 5-10 goalie goes into the butterfly, you’ve got (uses both hands to make a much larger window).
“He’s a big man, but it’s not just his size. He’s got great ability and moves really well in the net. And he managed the game perfectly.”
The Ball Arena crowd certainly appreciated Blackwood’s debut performance. They serenaded him with a standing ovation in the second period, shortly after he stopped a breakaway and thwarted another flurry of chances. Then there were multiple “Black-wood” chants in the final period, including the loudest of the night as the final seconds ticked away in his first victory.
“You’ve got to appreciate that,” Blackwood said. “That feels great. Hopefully, we keep playing well in front of them.”
Footnote: The Avalanche signed Tye Felhaber to a two-year contract Sunday, encompassing the rest of this season and 2025-26. Felhaber, 26, signed a minor-league contract with the Avs in August. He has eight goals and 13 points in 23 games for the Colorado Eagles in the AHL this season. An undrafted free agent, Felhaber set career bests in the AHL — 10 goals and 23 points in 50 games — with Milwaukee last season. If Felhaber joins the Avalanche, he could become the eighth player to make his NHL debut for Colorado this season.
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