NHL Notebook: The Avalanche extend Mackenzie Blackwood to a five-year deal

Blackwood started his season with the San Jose Sharks, posting a .911 save percentage and a 2.95 goals against average in 19 games played while facing on average 30 shots a game. On Dec. 9, the Sharks traded him to the Avalanche with Givani Smith and a 2027 fifth-round pick for Nikolai Kovalenko, Alexandar Georgiev, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2025 fifth-round pick

Since the trade, Blackwood has played four games for the Avalanche, with a .931 save percentage and a 2.03 goals against average. As of the Christmas break, they have a 21-15-0 record, good enough for third in the Central Division.

Alex Ovechkin likely to return to the Capitals’ lineup

The goal chase is back on, as Alexander Ovechkin looks like he’ll return to the Washington Capitals lineup on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Ovechkin last played on Nov. 18 against the Utah Hockey Club, as he fractured his fibula in a collision with Jack McBain. The 39-year-old was off to a terrific start to his season, scoring 15 goals and 25 points in 18 games.

The all-time goal record, like many other records, belongs to Wayne Gretzky. However, Ovechkin is within reach of breaking that record this season, as he has 868 career goals in 1,444 career games, just 27 shy of breaking the long-standing record.

Losing Ovechkin hasn’t hurt the Capitals all that much. After their 6-2 win over the Hockey Club on Nov. 18, they had a 13-4-1 record with 27 points to lead the Metropolitan Division. As of Friday, they have a 23-9-2 record, as they’ve gone 10-5-1 without their best player. While the Capitals are second in their division, they’ve played three fewer games than the New Jersey Devils with one less point.

Canadiens to waive Cayden Primeau

Montréal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis announced that the team plans to place Cayden Primeau on waivers on Saturday. Laval Rocket netminder Jakub Dobes was called up on Friday and will make his debut on Saturday.

Primeau was selected in the seventh-round of the 2017 draft by the Canadiens. After a handful of games here and there over the years, he became the team’s backup in 2023-24, where he had a .910 save percentage and a 2.99 goals against average in 23 games with the Canadiens in 2023-24.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t found the same success this season, as he has an .836 save percentage and a 4.70 goals-against average in 11 games.

As for Dobes, he was selected in the fifth-round of the 2020 draft by the Canadiens. He made his professional debut with the American Hockey League’s Rocket in 2023-24, posting a .906 save percentage and a 2.93 goals against average in 51 games. So far this season, the 23-year-old netminder has a .910 save percentage and a 2.44 goals against average.