Colorado Avalanche Top Goaltending Prospect To Leave Russia and Sign With the Team
PUBLICATION
Tom Banks
December 30, 2024 (10:26)
The Colorado Avalanche have had their issues in net this year, and according to a report, former second-round pick Ilya Nabokov is reportedly on the way in 2025/26.
After trading for Mackenzie Blackwood, the goaltending situation in Colorado is all of a sudden much better than we saw earlier in the season, but their future beyond Blackwood is certainly up in the air.
Now however, that may all be changing, as it has been announced that top goaltending prospect Ilya Nabokov is making his way to the United States, and will likely sign a contract with the Avalanche to join the team in 2025/26.
SKA really wanted to get this goalkeeper. But Nabokov himself decided to continue his career in the NHL. The player has almost signed a contract with Colorado - or it's an agreement of intent if an official document in the NHL cannot be signed before a certain period. SKA wanted to give many players for Nabokov, because it considers him even more talented than Igor Shestyorkin in the future. But after this season, Ilya leaves for the United States.
That report comes from Match TV, who have noted that while Nabokov may not have signed his deal yet, it is all but done, with the 21-year old likely to be stateside ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and given his success in Russia, he could very well push for a spot on the roster.
Over the past two years, Nabokov has tallied a .928 save percentage alongside a 2.14 GAA in 73 games played, and in that time he led Magnitogorsk Metallurg to the Gagarin Cup, being named both Rookie of the Year and Playoff MVP.
In the 2024 NHL Draft, Colorado used the No. 38 overall pick on Nabokov, and while it's not clear whether or not he'll be ready for NHL action in 2025/26, given the success he's already accumulated in the KHL, there's no doubting that there's a good shot he can be Blackwood's backup in no time.
| POLL |
DECEMBRE 30 | 82 ANSWERS Colorado Avalanche Top Goaltending Prospect To Leave Russia and Sign With the Team Will Ilya Nabokov make his NHL debut next season with the Colorado Avalanche? |
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