Avalanche Wedgewood Trade: Unexpected Change vs. Oilers?

The Colorado Avalanche made a notable move on Saturday, acquiring veteran goaltender Scott Wedgewood from the Nashville Predators in a trade that saw 24-year-old Justus Annunen and a 2025 sixth-round draft pick head to Nashville. It’s not clear if Wedgewood will make it to Saturday’s game in time, but if he does, will he start for Colorado versus the Edmonton Oilers?

Mark Spector of Sportsnet writes: “Preds played at home last night and Wedgewood did not play. Avs were in Dallas in Friday, and Georgiev tended the twine. So do the Oilers get Wedgewood tonight if he gets to Denver on time? Skinner starts for EDM.”

With the Avalanche struggling with a .855 team save percentage—the worst in the league—Wedgewood, who has a 3.69 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage this season, will likely be a welcome addition in an effort to stabilize their goaltending. His numbers aren’t great either, but it can’t get much worse for the Avs.

What If Wedgewood Plays vs. the Oilers?

This trade could have significant implications for the upcoming matchup between the Avalanche and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. With Colorado’s usual starter, Alexandar Georgiev, playing in Friday’s game in Dallas, the Avalanche may turn to Wedgewood for Saturday’s game, assuming he arrives in time.

This would mark Wedgewood’s potential debut for Colorado, and his performance could be a key factor in the outcome of the game. The Avs are a strong team on offense, but they can’t seem to get a timely save. The Oilers have struggled a bit to score this season, with a recent uptick in production but still not great in 5-v-5 situations.

The Oilers will still be without Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson. The team is coming off an overtime win versus the Utah Hockey Club on Friday, but they were awful in the first period. It was Edmonton’s special teams that got them out of an early jam.

The Avalanche Need a Goaltending Miracle

The Avalanche have been dominant in terms of possession, consistently ranking near the top in shot attempts, scoring chances, and expected goals, but their goaltending struggles have held them back. Wedgewood isn’t a superstar, but he’s potentially an experienced upgrade that could settle the Avalanche down in a game the Oilers are looking to as a statement matchup.

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The Oilers will look to exploit any vulnerability in the Avalanche’s net. That could mean shooting often ane early on a new goalie who is playing his first minutes with a new team.

With Stuart Skinner starting for Edmonton, the Oilers will aim to capitalize on Colorado’s goaltending issues, whether Georgiev or Wedgewood is between the pipes. If Wedgewood plays, his ability to quickly adjust to the new environment could make all the difference in the final score.

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