The Colorado Avalanche have finally made a trade for another goaltender — and it wasn’t Dan Vladar.
Early on Saturday morning, the Avalanche consummated a deal with the Nashville Predators for goaltender Scott Wedgewood, who the Preds only just signed to a two-year deal on July 1.
Wedgewood, 32, has appeared in five games with the Predators this season, posting a 1-2-1 record and an .878 save percentage. The Brampton, Ontario product is now under contract with the Avalanche through 2026 at a $1.5 million cap hit.
In exchange for Wedgewood, the Predators received goaltender Justus Annunen and a 2025 sixth-round pick. The 24-year-old Annunen has taken part in 11 games with the Avalanche thus far in the 2024-25 campaign, going 6-4-0 with an .872 save percentage.
We have traded Justus Annunen and a 2025 draft pick to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Scott Wedgewood. pic.twitter.com/UXXYvAynB6
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 30, 2024
On the surface, the Wedgewood deal appears to take Colorado out of the goaltending market, at least for now. Wedgewood is an experienced backup goaltender who has a track record of playing in more of a tandem role with both the Arizona Coyotes and Dallas Stars. He’s not a No. 1, but he should help solidify what has been an unstable position for Colorado this season.
Vladar, who is scheduled to start for the Flames against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, has been widely discussed as a potential trade piece for Calgary at the deadline this coming March. The 27-year-old netminder slotted in at No. 14 on Frank Seravalli’s latest Trade Targets board over at Daily Faceoff.
The Flames initially acquired Vladar from the Boston Bruins back in 2021 and used him primarily as Jacob Markstrom’s backup over the following three seasons. This year, he’s been deployed in more of a tandem role alongside Calder Trophy candidate Dustin Wolf. Vladar is 4-4-3 with a .905 save percentage in 11 games this season.
The prevailing belief in Calgary and around the league is that the Flames are sticking to a second-round pick as their asking price for Vladar, who is a pending unrestricted free agent carrying a $2.2 million cap hit. His numbers this year certainly beat what anyone in Colorado has managed; Avs starter Alexandar Georgiev has a dreadful .872 save percentage in 15 games this season.
It remains to be seen whether Wedgewood and Georgiev will solve the problems ailing the Avalanche, but there’s still plenty of hockey to play before the March 7 trade deadline.
