Avalanche ink contract with Russian goalie, but reports say he won’t be on team this year

***This story has been updated below***

The Colorado Avalanche announced on Friday that they’ve signed Russian goaltender Ilya Nabokov to a two-year entry level contract.

Nabokov was a second-round pick by the Avs, 38th overall, in the 2024 NHL Draft. The 22-year-old was the highest goalie selected in that draft by any NHL team.

We have signed goaltender Ilya Nabokov to a two-year, entry-level contract through the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/R6k18OpZQr

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 30, 2025

Nabokov has spent two full seasons with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the KHL, posting a career 46-30-9 record, a 2.19 goals against average, a .926 save percentage and six shutouts. He was the Rookie of the Year in the KHL in his first full season with the team and the MVP of 2024 playoffs. 

Metallurg won the Gagarin Cup that season, and in 23 playoff contests Nabokov gave up just 1.82 goals per game and had a save percentage of .942 to go along with four shutouts. He became the youngest goaltender to win playoff MVP honors. 

Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette reported this deal might happen, but also that Nabokov could still be loaned back to the KHL next season.

If not, and Nabokov does come join the Avalanche, you’d have to think he could compete for the backup goalie job. Scott Wedgewood was adequate in that role this past season, but is almost 33-years-old and entering the final year of a contract that will pay him only $1.5 million.

Mackenzie Blackwood is clearly Colorado’s starter, after inking a five-year contract worth more than $26 million shortly after being traded by the San Jose Sharks to the Avalanche.

We’ll have to see how this all shakes out, but Colorado is adding goalie depth, and one day Nabokov could be the future in net.

(Update 4:13 p.m.) –

Multiple reports say Nabokov won’t be joining the Avalanche this year, instead he’ll be on loan to Metallurg. It appears Wedgewood is safe as the backup for at least one more season. 

I can confirm this.
Nabokov will go on loan to Metallurg for the 2025-26 season.

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) May 30, 2025

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