Scott Wedgewood seeks answers after tough outings with Avalanche

Scott Wedgewood seeks answers after tough outings with Avalanche

by

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood is searching for answers after being pulled from a 7-2 loss to Columbus and surrendering six goals in a 6-2 defeat at Nashville, leaving him with a 1-3-1 record and an .867 save percentage through his first five starts of the 2026-27 season.

The 34-year-old netminder, who led the NHL in both save percentage (.921) and goals-against average (2.02) during his career-best 2025-26 campaign, has allowed ten goals in his last two outings. The Denver Post reported that Wedgewood was yanked from Tuesday night’s game at Nationwide Arena after giving up four goals on just nine shots, a stark contrast to the elite form that helped him and Mackenzie Blackwood capture the Jennings Trophy last season.

A Career Built on Persistence Meets a Sudden Wall

Wedgewood has faced adversity before. The goalie changed franchises five times before Colorado acquired him from the Nashville Predators in November 2024, fighting against the journeyman label his entire career. Since becoming an NHL regular in 2020-21, he had never finished a season with a save percentage below .899 or a GAA worse than 3.14. That streak of reliability made him one of the league’s great stories upon arriving in Denver, where he quickly became a fan favorite and locker-room cornerstone.

Colorado avalanche goaltender scott wedgewood in the second period of an nhl hockey game saturday jan in denver photodavid za

When Blackwood needed rehabilitation time last year, Wedgewood seized a starter-level workload, beginning 13 of the club’s first 16 games and posting a 9-1-2 record in those starts. After Blackwood returned, Wedgewood lost back-to-back regulation games only once the rest of the year and even started Game 1 of the 2026 playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings.

Two Bad Games, Not a Bad Year

This season has opened with the opposite trajectory. Head coach Jared Bednar made it clear before the campaign began that Blackwood would receive every opportunity to serve as the No. 1, a decision Wedgewood publicly supported despite the personal cost. The veteran has made just five starts in the Avalanche’s first 16 games, and all but one came on the second night of back-to-backs.

Colorado Avalanche vs. Columbus Blue Jackets | Full Game Highlights | ESPN NHL

“It hasn’t been a bad year. It’s been two bad games,” Wedgewood said. “I’ve only played five and all of them were a back-to-back except one. It’s a mental challenge. My job is give them a good first period and give them a chance to win a hockey game. The last two, I haven’t done that.”

The statistics reflect the struggle: a 1-3-1 record with an .867 save percentage. Yet Wedgewood insists the issue is mental rather than technical. “I’m trying to figure it out,” he said. “You want to win. You want to play. You want to do everything right. I put my mindset in that. Just try and do what you think is going to work, then go back to the drawing board if it doesn’t.”

The Unique Pressure of the Backup Role

For most NHL players, a rough night offers a chance for redemption within 24 to 72 hours. For a backup goaltender, the wait can stretch much longer, creating a distinct psychological burden. Wedgewood acknowledged this reality when he noted that the last two outings simply haven’t gone his way.

Jersey devils goalie scott wedgewood plays in an nhl hockey game against the pittsburgh penguins in pittsburgh thursday march

“You don’t get the opportunity to bounce right back into it and go, but that’s been the role of my career for the most part,” Wedgewood said. “I know how to do it. It’s just unfortunate the last two haven’t gone my way. Get back to practice and just work harder. … Just couldn’t find a couple lanes today and they beat me.”

Bednar pushed back against the notion that the goaltender bore sole responsibility for Tuesday’s blowout, noting that the 18 skaters in front of Wedgewood also played substandard hockey in Columbus.

Equity in the Room Buys Time

What distinguishes Wedgewood’s current situation is the reservoir of goodwill he has built in Denver. He has played 70 largely successful games for the Avalanche, more than he appeared in for any other NHL franchise, including stops with New Jersey and Arizona. That history has earned him patience from his coach.

William m jennings trophy (hockey hall of fame, toronto)

“He’s going to have his scheduled starts,” Bednar said. “I have a lot of faith in Wedge. I’ve seen him play really well for us. He’ll have his scheduled starts and so will Blackwood and we’ll go from there. We always leave it a little bit open to interpretation, but it’s not like I’m not going to give him a start the next time I think he deserves one just if he had a bad night.”

The Road Ahead: November 18 and 19

Wedgewood’s next potential opportunity to reset arrives on November 18 and 19, when the Avalanche face a back-to-back set in Salt Lake City and Denver. Until then, he will focus on practice and preparation, leaning on the resilience that carried him through five franchise changes and a career defined by seizing limited opportunities. For a goaltender who once turned a backup role into a Jennings Trophy, the current two-game skid represents a test of the mental fortitude that has defined his journey.

Worth a look

Read next