Georgiev working hard to prove Avs right, earn starting goalie job

Alexandar Georgiev knew he would be traded this summer; what he didn’t know is how good of a situation he would end up in.

Georgiev, a five-year backup for the New York Rangers, has been stuck behind Vezina winner Igor Shesterkin and another before that in Henrik Lundqvist. Georgiev was traded to the Avs last week and then signed to a three-year deal earlier this week. Georgiev will get a legit shot in goal but will likely split time with Pavel Francouz, the Avs backup this past season.

Francouz played in seven playoff games and started four, winning the Western Conference Finals series for the Avs against the Oilers. Georgiev also got some postseason action, twice coming in relief for Shesterkin on the Rangers run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

“I’ve known that when the season ended, I would be traded,” Georgiev said. “In the offseason, and I was hoping to land in a great spot, and when I heard it was the Colorado Avalanche, it’s as good as I could hope for; the team is unreal. They just got the cup and have the same goal for the next few years. I want to be a part of that group. I feel the support I need, and I’m getting a chance I’ve always dreamed about, so it was easy for me to want to be with the team for three years.”

Georgiev is spending the summer in Finland, but that hasn’t stopped him from already getting to work. Avs goalie coach Jussi Parkkila is in his native land, and the two have already met.

“I didn’t get a lot of opportunities to play games in a row, and hearing that Stanley Cup champions believe in you and believe you are the guy, that’s all I ever wanted,” Georgiev said. “It’s awesome to hear that this team has confidence in me. I’m working hard to prove they’re right.”

Georgiev said he’s texted a few Avs players already and that it’s nice to have a friend already on his new team in Mikko Rantanen—the two played junior together.

Georgiev, 26, posted a 15-10-2 record this past season, including an 8-1-0 run with two shutouts in his last nine starts of the campaign. Since signing with the Rangers in the summer of 2017, the 6-foot-1 goalie is 58-48-11 with a 2.94 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and eight shutouts in 129 career games.

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