Georgiev signs three-year contract with Avalanche

Alexandar Georgiev signed a three-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, three days after he was
acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers
. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The 26-year-old, who was acquired for a third- and fifth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, could have become a restricted free agent Wednesday.
"I knew after the season and even before (the season ended) that I was going to be traded and I was hoping to land in a great spot and when I heard it was the Colorado Avalanche, it was just everything I could hope for," Georgiev said Tuesday. "The team is unreal. They just won the Cup, and they have the same goal for the next few years. I just wanted to be a part of that group. I felt the support I needed and the chance I always dreamed about, so it was pretty easy to want to be with this team for three years."

Georgiev was 15-10-2 with a 2.92 goals-against average, .898 save percentage and two shutouts in 33 games (28 starts) for the Rangers this season as the backup to Igor Shesterkin. He made two relief appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, allowing two goals on 31 shots (.935 save percentage).
"When he was a starter, he played really well, and he wanted a bigger opportunity, and he's got that opportunity," Avalanche president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said July 7. "He was looking forward to the challenge. What I like about it, he played in a big market. He was in New York. He can deal with a lot of that stuff. We're excited for him."
Signed by New York as an undrafted free agent on July 19, 2017, Georgiev is 58-48-11 with a 2.94 GAA, .908 save percentage and eight shutouts in 129 games (117 starts).
Georgiev was asked about possibly being the No. 1 goalie on the team next season. Darcy Kuemper can become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday, and Pavel Francouz, who signed a two-year contract with Colorado on March 12, is expected to be the backup.
"It feels special. I've been dreaming about that for quite a few years now and I've been hoping for an opportunity to play for this kind of a team," Georgiev said. "It's a big boost and something that I needed pretty much. The last couple of seasons, I did not get as much of an opportunity to play so many consecutive games in a row and hearing that the Stanley Cup champions believe in you and believe you are the guy that's all I wanted. It's awesome to hear this team has confidence in me. I'm working hard to prove them right."