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Avalanche, Predators Swap Backup Goalies

Two Central Division rivals in the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators are making a change in net.

Jon Alfano

Oct 26, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) taps a puck back in play against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Casey Gower-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) taps a puck back in play against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Casey Gower-Imagn Images / Casey Gower-Imagn Images
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The Colorado Avalanche have acquired goaltender Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators in exchange for goaltender Justus Annunen and a 2025 sixth-round pick, the teams announced on Saturday morning.

Colorado has overcome a slow start, but the main story of the season has been the team's atrocious goaltending. The Avalanche have a team save percentage of just .871, by far the worst in the league and among the worst in recent memory.

They hope that adding a solid veteran in Wedgewood, 32, can help mend the problems in net, but he too has struggled this season. In five games (four starts) with the Predators, Wedgewood has a .878 save percentage, a 3.69 goals against average and a 1-2-1 record. Hopefully, a change of scenery could benefit both him and the Avalanche.

On the other side of the coin, the Predators get younger in net with the addition of the 24-year-old Annunen. The Finnish netminder has had an underwhelming season thus far, recording a .872 save percentage, a 3.23 goals against average and a 6-4 record in 11 games (nine starts).

Nashville's season has gone off the rails already, as the team currently sits seventh in the Central division with a 7-12-5 record. Getting younger in net, and picking up a bit of extra draft capital in the process, makes sense even if it's a disappointing outcome.

These two Central division rivals have two more games against each other, meeting in Colorado on Dec. 14 and in Nashville on Feb. 22. Whether Wedgewood and/or Annunen play against their now-former teams remains to be seen, but it would certainly add a layer of intrigue to these matchups.

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

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