Scott Wedgewood signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Financial terms were not disclosed for the contract, which begins next season.
The 33-year-old goalie, who is in the final season of a two-year contract he signed with the Nashville Predators on July 1, 2024, could have become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
“It’s awesome,” Wedgewood said. “Obviously, it was just like in the back of my mind and things. We had talked about it in the summer, and then season started and obviously got off to a good start, and conversations were had. And I was trying to keep in the back of my mind and just go to work and play for the team and things like that. But, obviously, done on paper now, and, obviously, really excited about it.”
Wedgewood leads the NHL in wins (10-1-2), ranks third in goals-against average (2.26) among goalies having played at least 10 games this season, and has a .913 save percentage in 14 games. He opened the season 5-0-2 taking over for an injured Mackenzie Blackwood, at the time the third-longest streak without a regulation loss to begin a season in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history and one shy of his NHL career-long regardless of start date. His current five-game winning streak dating to Oct. 28 is tied for the longest of his NHL career.
Blackwood, the starter last season, was sidelined with a lower-body injury sustained in the offseason before making 20 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss at the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 1.
“I think it’s well deserved,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said of the contract. “Loved his play last year and what he did, and then this year, it seems like he’s come out, so I don’t want to say taking it to a new level, but I think the importance of him being solid in the net for us to this part in the season with [Blackwood] out is obviously key. And not only just kind of surviving without [Blackwood], but excelling in that position for us and giving us a chance to win every night.
“When you get a guy that wants to be here and fits in your room and fits in your culture and then performs like this on the ice, I think the natural progression is trying to get them locked up.”
Wedgewood is 23-5-5 with a 2.11 GAA, .915 save percentage and two shutouts in 33 games (32 starts) since he was acquired in a trade with the Predators on Nov. 30, 2024.
Selected by the New Jersey Devils in the third round (No. 84) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Wedgewood is 72-55-26 with a 2.82 GAA, .907 save percentage and eight shutouts in 168 NHL games (150 starts) during nine seasons with the Devils, Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, Predators and Avalanche, and has appeared in four Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The Avalanche (11-1-5) are first in the NHL and have allowed the second-fewest goals-against per game (2.41). They host the Buffalo Sabres at Ball Arena on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; KUSA, KTVD, MSG-B, ALT).
NHL.com independent correspondent Ryan Boulding contributed to this report
