In a somewhat surprising move, the Avalanche placed Mackenzie Blackwood on injured reserve on Friday as the team prepares to head east for a three-game road trip.
The Avs’ starting goalie has a lower-body injury and will be re-evaluated after the road trip.
Blackwood played in Colorado’s last game on Wednesday, stopping 12 of 13 shots against the St. Louis Blues in a 6-1 victory to improve to 13-1-1 on the season.
During Thursday’s full-team practice, Blackwood did not participate, albeit there was no word after the skate about him being hurt.
Mackenzie Blackwood was on the ice before but isn’t participating in practice. https://t.co/868EOKWwPA
— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) January 1, 2026
Colorado plays in Carolina on Saturday, Florida on Sunday, and Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Without Blackwood available for any of these games, they might be inclined to utilize Scott Wedgewood more than initially anticipated. Trent Miner was called up to serve as the backup.
The Avs also recalled forward Taylor Makar, who could slot into the lineup on Friday if both Gavin Brindley or Joel Kiviranta are unable to play.
