Avalanche activate Mackenzie Blackwood off injured reserve

The Colorado Avalanche got a boost on Wednesday, as the hockey club activated goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood from injured reserve, bringing him back into the fold since placing him on injured reserve on Jan. 2. 

In a corresponding roster move, the Avalanche reassigned netminder Trent Miner to their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. 

Blackwood last played against the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 31, stopping 12 of 13 shots in a 6-1 win. However, his injury absence came days after there were no reports of him suffering an injury during or after the contest.

Prior to his injury, the Canadian netminder had enjoyed a standout season as a secondary option to countryman Scott Wedgewood between the pipes. Through 16 games, the 29-year-old has a record of 13-1-1 and boasts a .924 save percentage. At the time of his injury, his 2.07 GAA also led the league. 

A veteran of eight NHL seasons, the Thunder Bay, Ont. native has an all-time record of 116-104-29, with previous stops with the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils, before joining the Avalanche midway through the 2024-25 season. Through that time, he also has a career save percentage of .907 and a GAA of 2.91. 

Now, the graduate of the Ontario Hockey League rejoins the Avalanche’s NHL squad that finds itself in a good spell, sitting 11 points clear at the top of the Presidents’ Trophy league standings with 74 points and a 33-8-4 record through 45 games. The next-best team, the Dallas Stars, has just 63 points and have played an additional two games. 

The Avalanche will seek more consistency when they return to action, having had a mixed January so far, boasting a record of 3-2-1 since the New Year. They are back on the ice on Friday against divisional foes, the Nashville Predators, for the fourth game of an eight-game homestand.