Could a goaltender controversy be brewing with the Colorado Avalanche?
Feb 28, 2020, 7:34 AM | Updated: 7:54 am
What a week it has been for Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz.
First, on this past Friday, the Avs announced that Francouz, 29, had been inked to a two-year extension with the organization.
“We are excited to have Pavel under contract for another two seasons,” said Colorado GM and executive vice president Joe Sakic. “He has been an important part of our team this year and has performed really well, especially when we needed it most. He is a hard-working professional, a great teammate and has earned his opportunity in the NHL.”
Performed well, indeed, because he followed up signing his new deal by rattling off three straight wins (two on the road), giving up just three goals in three games while notching his first career shutout on the path to an NHL first star of the week nod.
Then, Sakic and the Avalanche brass added a goalie before the NHL trade deadline, but no one to usurp Francouz — or, eventually, Grubauer — in the starting lineup. Instead, Colorado traded for Michael Hutchinson, who should keep Frankie’s backup seat warm until Grubauer returns.
That is if he returns in a starting role.
Out indefinitely since suffering a lower-body injury in the Stadium Series fiasco a few weekends ago at Air Force Academy, Grubauer’s return date in unclear, leaving Francouz as the No. 1 puck stopper for the time being.
And by all reasonable expectations, Grubauer should expect to be between the pipes upon his return from injured reserve, as he’ll be the only Avs goalie with playoff experience as the team heads down the stretch into the postseason.
But, what if, in good conscience, Jared Bednar can’t sit Francouz down? In comparison with Grubauer, Francouz has nearly as many wins (17 to 18) in 13 fewer starts, a stronger goals-against average (2.26 to 2.63) and a higher percentage of quality starts (.565 to .472).
It’s no fault of Grubauer’s. He didn’t plan to suffer an injury that would take him out of the lineup for an extended period of time.
But then again, neither did Wally Pipp. Or Drew Bledsoe.
“We love the chemistry in our dressing room and you don’t want to tinker too much with that,” Sakic offered as the reason why the Avs didn’t make any “splashy” trade deadline moves. But in keeping with that sentiment, the club has some options to weigh with Francouz when Grubauer returns.
