​Are we going to finish the season with the same goalie duo we have now? I think so. It would probably require a 2024 Alexandar Georgiev–level collapse for Joe Sakic to even consider shaking things up. And even then, the organization has a third option in Ilya Nabokov they’d like to test before tapping the waiver wire the way they did with Kaapo Kahkonen. They also still have Trent Miner in the mix. It’s almost become customary for teams to ride an .890 goaltending tempo through the regular season without panicking, because what truly matters is how those goalies perform in the postseason. When you’re weighing a change before the trade deadline, it would take a crazy collapse from both goalies, with little impact from the AHL to offset those poor showings. I just don’t see it happening.
If you asked me about the goalie tandem a year from now, I’d probably say I’m not entirely sure yet. Maybe it’s my perception, but the Eagles seem to have lost more players than usual this year. Several guys looked like solid call-ups for the Avalanche, yet they’re all gone now. Is it mere coincidence, a product of the Eagles’ success or a new coaching approach? Or does it indicate a growing acknowledgment that the Avalanche aren’t a prime destination for AHL players to earn a real shot?
These kinds of shifts often come in waves. The organization doesn’t appear to be overly concerned about losing players like Matt Stienburg, Jason Polin, or Jacob MacDonald. They were valuable veterans for the Eagles, but when it comes to dependable call-ups, they’re relatively easy to replace. It’s smart for a franchise like the Avalanche to keep swinging for lottery wins—AHL call-ups are essentially gambles. From undrafted free agents to UFAs who didn’t find success elsewhere, it’s always worthwhile to try something new and see what sticks.
Look at Sam Malinski, for example. He came in around the same time and in the same manner as Wyatt Aamodt and Polin. Now that you know what you have with those two, you should be scouting for the next Malinski. That mindset means cycling through AHL players like Matthew DiMarsico, T.J. Hughes, Taylor Makar, and others to determine who, if any, can carve out an NHL career from limited opportunities.
The broader takeaway is that the Avalanche will continue to evaluate their depth every season, balancing proven veterans with fresh talents who might surprise. The question of the goalie tandem a year from now remains open, but for this season, the current setup seems likely to persist unless an extraordinary collapse or a prying look at Nabokov, Miner, or another option shifts the calculus. This ongoing approach—keeping options open, testing different players in the AHL, and leveraging a mix of veterans and prospects—appears to be the prevailing strategy for Avalanche management as they navigate thePaths to the NHL. The post Avalanche Mailbag 5.0: AHL Call-Ups; Is ‘The Lumberyard’ Here to Stay? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.