Avalanche reward newly acquired goalie Blackwood with 5-year, $26.25 million contract extension

It didn’t take goalie Mackenzie Blackwood long to establish himself as the Colorado Avalanche’s starter for the present and future after signing a five-year $26.25 million contract extension. The Avalanche announced the signing, and a person with direct knowledge of the contract confirmed its value to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal the monetary figure that was first reported by Sportsnet.ca. The new contract runs though the 2029-30 season, and validates what the Avalanche expected out of Blackwood when acquiring the 28-year-old in a trade with San Jose on Dec. 9. Blackwood has gone 3-1 since.