Georgiev enters “big year” with his future in Colorado uncertain

AVALANCHE

Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, right, greets Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck in the handshake line after the Avalanche defeated the Jets in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 30 at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. ANDY CROSS — THE DENVER POST

Colorado’s Travis Hunter forces a fumble from Baylor Bears running back Dominic Richardson in overtime, clinching a Buffs victory at Folsom Field in Boulder late Saturday night. The Buffaloes won 38-31. ANDY CROSS — THE DENVER POST

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By Corey Masisak

cmasisak@denverpost.com

It’s probably not hyperbole to say that Alexandar Georgiev reached a crossroads in his Colorado Avalanche tenure during those 48 hours between the end of Game 1 and the start of Game 2 of an opening-round series in Winnipeg last spring.

Georgiev, fresh off an undesirable finish to an up-and-down season, allowed seven goals on 23 shots in a wild 7-6 loss at Canada Life Centre. His response was impeccable: four straight victories, outplaying Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck each time with a .932 save percentage the rest of the series.

His solid play continued into the second round. Georgiev went from a significant question mark to a goalie with a strong playoff run on his resume.

“You definitely need mental toughness to win in the playoffs,” Georgiev said. “Look at the Stanley Cup Final — one team leads 3-0, and then the other team doesn’t back down. It was a tough position for Florida. I think to win it all, you need to face adversity and be sharpened by it.

“The first game didn’t go well for me, but it didn’t go well for the other guy either. So, I felt as long as I did my job, we were in good shape and we managed to get the job done there.”

Georgiev has proven to be a workhorse in his two seasons as the No. 1 goaltender in Denver. His 125 games played in the regular season is second to Nashville’s Juuse Saros in that span.

His second season as the starter was a streaky one. There were some spurts when he played like a Vezina contender and others when his ability to be the guy who can help this group make a long playoff run was questioned. Case in point: He began the season with six straight wins, and was pulled in two of his final six starts before the Game 1 disaster.

It made Georgiev’s turnaround in Winnipeg even more impressive.

“I’m proud of him for the way he handled the playoffs,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “I mean, you go into Game 1 in Winnipeg and it goes the way it did, to be able to respond in Game 2 and beyond, I thought he played great. Was I surprised? No. Was I really happy? Yes, because things could turn the other way quickly. It takes a lot of mental toughness to be able to grind through that.

“Even if it was an up-and-down year, to be able to respond and play that way in the playoffs I think is the most important thing.”

Now Georgiev is at the precipice of the most important season of his NHL career. He is entering the final season of a three-year contract with Colorado. He’s clearly the goalie of the present, but is he the franchise’s future at the position?

The Avs have earned a reputation for being willing to walk away from their starting goaltender if the contract isn’t where they want it to be. Philipp Grubauer left town for a six-year, $35.4 million contract.

The 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs ended with Avs players mobbing Darcy Kuemper and celebrating a championship. Seventeen days later, Kuemper was putting his signature on a five-year, $26.25 million pact with the Washington Capitals.

Now it’s Georgiev’s turn to find out if his time with Colorado will extend beyond one contract.

“I don’t think I can influence that at all,” Georgiev said. “I just love being here. I’m so excited for this season. There’s not another place that I would want to be at the moment. I just try to appreciate that opportunity and whatever happens, happens. I have an agent who works on that. I’m sure he’ll figure it out.

“I try to approach it as just another season.”

Bednar trusted Georgiev after Game 1 in Winnipeg, and he repaid his coach in full over the next 10 games. Georgiev said he’s in a good place physically and mentally to start this season. He has a backup in Justus Annunen who the coach expects to play a little more this year, potentially giving Georgiev more rest and more time to work things out if he ends up in a funk.

“I feel really good about where (Georgiev) is at,” Bednar said. “He had an intense summer of training and has worked extremely hard. It’s a big year for him and for us.”