Yes, he had a remarkable turnaround in the opening round of the playoffs and led the league in wins (38) during the regular season. Still, it’s his overall inconsistency that remains an issue. In his second season as a starting goaltender, his goals-against average skyrocketed from 2.53 to 3.02 last season. Furthermore, should Georgiev continue to struggle as we march closer to the beginning of the 2024-25 season, the Avalanche have a Plan B.

After winning their third Stanley Cup in franchise history in 2022, the Colorado Avalanche were the odds-on favorite to become just the third NHL team to repeat as champions since 1998. Unfortunately, that did not come to fruition, and neither has another title. Although there’s much blame to go around, there’s been one weak link: goaltending. The possible solution? Justus Annunen. But there’s some risk involved.

Ignore the Oilers goal. Watch Justus Annunen serve some justice instead! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/OMpxB9HMPd

— Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) April 19, 2024

It’s Complicated

The 24-year-old Annunen only has 18 games of NHL experience under his belt, so let’s not get too carried away, but let’s be honest: This kid continues to make significant improvements. He started 12 games last year and went 8-4 with a 2.25 GAA, including two shutouts. Prior to that, Annunen had three starts in two years. This past season, we got the best sample size of Juice, and he generally outperformed Georgiev.

It’s understandable why the Avalanche continued to show faith in Georgiev. You don’t want to give up too soon on a guy. On the same token, you don’t necessarily want to throw your potential next franchise goaltender to the wolves too soon.

“Georgie” chants for Alexandar Georgiev pic.twitter.com/11cYiwBK9O

— Meghan Angley (@megangley) April 27, 2024

Let’s think of this conundrum from a NASCAR perspective. In 1999, an 18-year-old Casey Atwood won two races in the NASCAR Busch (now Xfinity) Series, the equivalent of the AHL to the NHL. In 2001, Ray Evernham signed Atwood to drive his No. 19 Dodge Dealers UAW Dodge in the top circuit. Some critics thought Atwood would be the next Jeff Gordon, others thought Evernham moved him up too soon. His rookie season was just a tick above a disaster, and although he finally found his stride late in the season and even finished 2nd in the penultimate race of the year, Evernham booted him out of the ride, and nothing ever came of Atwood. In retrospect, he probably would have been just fine.

But the result in this case is precisely what the Avalanche are trying to avoid. They know how supremely talented Annunen is, but they don’t want to ruin him by being impatient. That said, depending on Georgiev’s performance, another year, or possibly less, could benefit Annunen’s professional development. Remember that Dominik Hasek, one of the greatest goalies ever played, was once a backup to fellow Hall of Famer Ed Belfour when the duo played together on the Chicago Blackhawks. Every great player was once a prospect or an amateur.

What we’re witnessing with Georgiev and Annunen is nothing new. But if you remember, after the Hawks got swept in the Cup Finals in 1992 by Mario Lemieux’s Pittsburgh Penguins, Hasek jumped ship to the Buffalo Sabers. Meanwhile, Belfour didn’t enjoy the same success that he had once Hasek left. Both men would eventually hoist the Stanley Cup, Hasek with the Detroit Red Wings (2002, 2008), and Belfour with the Dallas Stars (1999).

The risk of keeping Georgiev in for an extended period is that Annunen will grow impatient and want to play for someone else. Who can blame him? We must see it from both perspectives as we’re laying out. Compounding the situation is the fact that Georgiev is entering a contract season and will undoubtedly seek a raise on his $3.4 million salary in 2024-25. Is he worth that money now? That’s a tricky question to answer. You have a guy on the hot seat and a cheaper option who could very well be the next star.

Who would you stick with, Avs fans?