Avalanche re-signs Calvin Pickard for two years

The Colorado Avalanche announced they have re-signed backup goaltender Calvin Pickard to a two-year contract extension that runs through the 2017-18 season. The contract will pay Pickard $925,00 in the 2016-17 season and $1.075 million in 2017-18, giving Pickard an annual average value and salary cap hit of $1 million.

Pickard, 24, spent time in both San Antonio of the American Hockey League and in the NHL with the Avalanche last season before ultimately wrestling the backup job from injured incumbent Reto Berra, leading to Berra’s trade to the Florida Panthers two weeks ago.

Pickard posted a 7-6-1 record with a 2.56 goals-against-average and .922 save percentage for the Avalanche last season and is clearly being positioned as the potential goaltender of the future. Pickard’s stellar season continued after the Avalanche schedule was completed by playing for Team Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Championships, where he went 2-0 with one shutout while posting a .50 goals-against-average and .971 save percentage.

The mildly surprising success of Pickard in the NHL has led many to believe the fan favorite might be the preferred goaltender to protect in next year’s expansion draft when the Las Vegas franchise will have a chance to select one of Pickard or current starter Semyon Varlamov. The affable Pickard will continue to be one of the keys for Colorado’s success moving forward as the injury-prone Varlamov might see his workload reduced in the face of having such a strong backup option.

Pickard’s signing leaves the Avalanche with only four remaining unsigned restricted free agents: Nathan MacKinnon, Tyson Barrie, Mikhail Grigorenko, and Duncan Siemens.