The Colorado Avalanche just love changing goaltenders.
Okay, maybe they don’t love it, but for the second year in a row, the Avs have watched their starting netminder depart Denver via free agency. Last season, it was Philipp Grubauer leaving for the Seattle Kraken.
This year, it’s Stanley Cup champion Darcy Kuemper who is ditching the Avalanche for the Washington Capitals. While both money and team need understandably fueled the change for Kuemper and the Avs, it leaves the defending champs with some questions in goal.
Pavel Francouz, who has been with the Avalanche since 2018, will be one of two netminders tasked with filling the void left by Kuemper. Joining him will be newly acquired Alexandar Georgiev, formerly of the New York Rangers.
Can the Avalanche trust their new goaltending tandem?
Francouz has appeared in 57 career regular season games, including 21 in the 2021-2022 season. Last year, he went 15-5-1 with a 2.55 goals against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage. In his career, Francouz owns a 2.46 GAA and a .921 save percentage.
He has also played in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games where his numbers have dipped to a 3.01 GAA and an .899 save percentage. In 2022, though, Francouz was a perfect 6-0 with numbers superior to his career postseason averages.
His new teammate, Georgiev, played 33 games for the Rangers a season ago and posted the worst save percentage of his career (.898). In fact, his save percentage has gone down each season since he entered the league in 2017-2018 with a .918.
In his career, Georgiev has appeared in 129 contests, posting a 2.94 goals against average and a .908 save percentage. His only playoff appearances came in relief duty in 2022.
Say what you want about their numbers, but the biggest thing that the Avalanche should fear is their inexperience. Neither player has had to be a full-time starter in the NHL, and that could be troublesome.
The good news is that these two can play 40 games apiece for the Avs and still not have to start full-time, but having goalies that are not battle-tested, even in the regular season, is unsettling for a team that (obviously) is ready to win right now.
I am hesitant that Francouz and Georgiev will be able to step in adequately for the Avalanche this season, but at least Colorado still has a dynamic lineup on the ice in front of them.