Published September 17, 2026 12:33pm
CENTENNIAL — Jared Bednar declared Wednesday that Mackenzie Blackwood had an “incredible” offseason.
What exactly goes into an incredible offseason?
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“I don’t know. So many guys work so hard in the summer,” a shredded Blackwood said Thursday, day one of Avalanche training camp. “I just try to do everything I can to come back and be the best goalie that I can be — in the gym, in the kitchen, taking care of the body. It’s a lifestyle.”
When the Avalanche acquired Blackwood in December 2024, they brought him in to be their starter. Weeks later they gave him a five-year extension with the idea he was going to be “the guy” moving forward. That year he was. But last season was different.
Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (39) stops a shot during the second period in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals at the Vegas Golden Knights. (The Associated Press)
Blackwood arrived to camp last September recovering from offseason surgery and missed most of training camp. He didn’t make his first start until Nov. 1, nearly a month after the Avalanche got going. Things are different now Blackwood is healthy, looking lean and a full-go as camp gets underway.
“That’s huge, just not playing catch-up. Get to get rolling right from the get-go, so that’s going a lot better this year,” Blackwood said. “It’s hard to get in great shape when you’re rehabbing the whole summer. Basically, you can’t move that much, and everything’s about getting your body back. Whereas, summer where you’re in great shape and your body’s healthy, it’s just business as usual.”
About last year.
Blackwood wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination. But Scott Wedgewood was so good that getting into a rhythm was difficult for the 6-foot-4 Blackwood. Bednar elected for a rotation, something he said he’s not committed to doing yet this season. That rotation came to a bit of a halt in the postseason, with Wedgewood starting the majority of the games for the Avalanche.
Blackwood started just three of Colorado’s 13 postseason games, including the Game 4 loss in Vegas where he was far and away the best player for the Avalanche. After that loss, a frustrated Blackwood didn’t hold back.
“I mean, it’s freakin’ hard to not play for so long and come into a big game,” Blackwood said.
He addressed those comments on Thursday.
“I mean, right away, it’s pretty fresh,” he said. “Pretty soon after, you go home, you think about it, and you say, ‘What can I do better and what’s out of my control?’ And anything you can do, that’s on you to come back and fix it.”
Bednar wants Blackwood to take control of the starting role. But Blackwood didn’t love his 2025-26 campaign — an interesting critique for half of the duo that won the William Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league to have. But he’s honest and knows he can be better.
“It’s tough to say. I was kind of up and down. I was pretty inconsistent overall,” he said. “There were good moments, there were bad moments, there were average moments. I would say that year was pretty underwhelming for me and my expectations for myself. It wasn’t, like, disastrous, but I didn’t go home and feel satisfied or proud of the year, that’s for sure.”
“I’m looking to have a much better year this year and continue to grow my game.”
For the Avalanche to go far, they need Blackwood to be “the guy.” And the 29-year-old wants to be just that.
“If I say, ‘No,’ then I don’t deserve to play in this league,” he said. “Every time I get on the ice, you have to go out there and say, ‘This is my net and nobody’s going to take this from me.’ I think everybody that goes and plays in this league has to have that mentality, but the same is true for me.”