SAN JOSE — Mackenzie Blackwood didn’t have a lot time to say goodbye.
Thankfully for him, he didn’t have to attend lengthy to come back again. The previous Sharks goaltender came upon on Dec. 9, his twenty eighth birthday, that he was being traded from San Jose to Colorado.
He had gone via a full follow with the Sharks earlier that day, then needed to hop off the group bus and head to Denver. Ten days later, he’s again within the constructing the place he spent practically a season and a half of his hockey profession.
“(Feels) weird,” Blackwood stated of returning to San Jose. “But it’s good. Enjoyed being here, all the guys. It was a good time. A lot of friendships that I made, and I’ll always remember that. But it’s a good opportunity here (with Colorado), and I’m excited to be a part of this team.”
The Avalanche, who’re significantly better positioned for the playoffs, introduced in Blackwood because the lacking piece in internet. San Jose, in the meantime, is attempting to keep away from the basement of the Western Convention.
The Sharks sit final within the Pacific Division and lead Chicago and Nashville by simply three factors for the bottom complete within the West. That stated, Blackwood sees brighter days forward for his former teammates.
“Look at the difference from last year to this year,” Blackwood stated. “They’re a good young team who’s building in the right direction. In a couple years, they’re going to be trying to make a push for everything. They’re not too far away. A couple years, and they’ll be right there with the best of ‘em.”
For Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky, Blackwood’s return highlights how essential he was to the Sharks’ interval of redevelopment over the previous two seasons.
“I thought he was an outstanding goalie, person, and teammate,” Warsofsky stated. “What he gave us each and every night was a chance to win a hockey game. He worked extremely hard. The guys love him. He was a great teammate, good personality, a competitor. He’s going to have a really bright future in this league, whether that’s with Colorado after the year or whatnot. But going forward, they’ve got a really good one.”
Blackwood will match up along with his commerce counterpart, Alexandar Georgiev, on Tuesday night time at SAP Middle. Blackwood has offered a carry for his new Avs teammates as they chase a playoff berth.
“He’s been a breath of fresh air in the locker room,” stated Colorado heart Casey Mittelstadt. “He’s a good guy. He and (Scott Wedgewood) both came in, sparked a little bit of life for this team. He’s been great. He’s a big goalie in the net. He’s played really well for us.”
In two video games performed with the Avalanche, Blackwood has stopped 59 pictures and registered a save proportion of .937. His greatest efficiency got here towards Nashville, when he collected 37 saves and posted a save proportion of .949 in a 5-2 win.
“He’s been hilarious,” stated Avs heart Ross Colton. “Funny guy in the room. He’s huge. Big goalie. He’s played super well for us so far. He pretty much stole us a game at home against Nashville, and thought he played really well in Vancouver as well.”
Colorado coach Jared Bednar stated the commerce has allowed each Blackwood and Georgiev to showcase their greatest with a brand new group.
“Very good opportunity for Georgiev coming here,” Bednar stated. “Fresh start, new team. And for us, Blackwood and Wedgewood give us the goaltending we need to be in games and carve out some wins.”
Blackwood isn’t the one former Shark making his return to SAP Middle. Givani Smith can be again within the constructing after a San Jose tenure the place he was typically a wholesome scratch.
He’s performed three video games for the Avalanche because the commerce, and whereas he hasn’t but recorded some extent, he’s loved the extra easy path to taking part in time.
He’s loved having a teammate journey alongside him to ease his adjustment to a brand new chapter in Colorado.
“A lot easier with the transition, for sure, having him with me,” Smith stated. “He’s a good guy, so it’s nice that he can come with me.”
Like Blackwood, Smith foresees a promising future forward for the Sharks.
“They’ll be good. They got a lot of young talent,” Smith stated. “They’ll be really good over the years. That just takes time. A lot of teams go through the rebuild, takes a few years. They’ll get there eventually.”
