The contracts just keep coming for the Colorado Avalanche as they have elected to take care of business with key pieces who were set to enter free agency following the 2025-26 season. Backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood is the latest beneficiary as he just inked a one-year contract extension for $2.5 million through the 2026-27 season.
Wedgewood has been invaluable to the Avalanche this season as he has taken the reins as starter while Mackenzie Blackwood recovered
from an offseason injury and works himself back to a full workload. Wedgewood has a sparkling record of 10-1-2 with a .913 save percentage and 2.26 goals against average. This contract extension gives Wedgewood a million dollar raise over his cap hit in 2025-26.
There is now a little more stability and certainty in net going into the future as Jared Bednar seems to really trust Wedgewood. Clearly Blackwood and Wedgewood are a great tandem now and having that foundation set for next year allows more options on what to do with top goalie prospect Ilya Nabokov, who is playing in the KHL this season. It seemed unlikely he would jump straight to the NHL next season and bringing Wedgewood back another year ensures that. It’s interesting that Wedgewood himself characterizes his tandem with Blackwood as a 1A, 1B situation moving forward as he gave up the opportunity to search for a starting role as an upcoming free agent.
