Georgiev Strong in First Season as a Starter

Photo By Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Photo By Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

No one really knew what to expect when goaltender Alexandar Georgiev arrived on the NHL scene with the New York Rangers as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup.

Yes, fans knew that he would not play a lot behind a legend like Lundqvist, but no one was sure what kind of goaltending he would provide. For the most part, Georgiev was okay.

He didn’t play much behind Lundqvist and then Igor Shesterkin, but he was neither good nor bad when he did. He was unremarkable and simply did what he could to help the Rangers win hockey games.

Fast forward to this season, and things changed in a big way for the 26-year-old netminder. During the offseason, Georgiev was traded by the Blueshirts to the Avalanche and then was later signed to a three-year deal to be the team’s starter.

The contract and change of scenery provided a huge opportunity for Georgiev to show that he can be the main man between the pipes. So far, it is safe to say that he has impressed not only his team but the rest of the league with his steady play between the pipes.

As of this writing (Monday, January 30), Georgiev is 20-11-0-3 with a 2.60 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage, and two shutouts. He has already tied his career-best with 34 games played and has already set a career-high with 20 victories this season.

One reason he has played well this season is the fact that he has played a lot of games. Georgiev is better when he gets into a lot of games, and with him being at 34 already, he has a chance to continue to show that his performance between the pipes can get taken to another level.

Secondly, he is playing with a lot of confidence. This has especially been the case in his last four starts, as he has won all four starts and has stopped 125 of the 131 shots he has faced.

Lastly, he is playing well because his team needs him to. The Avalanche struggled out of the gate, but thanks to Georgiev’s consistent play, the team currently holds the second wild-card spot and is just one point out of third in the Central Division.

After several seasons of being a backup, Georgiev is finally strutting his stuff and proving to the Avalanche and the rest of the league that he can be an elite starting goaltender.

Stanley Cup Aspirations Cue’ the Duck Boats Pod

The boys are back after a long break but have plenty to talk about as the playoffs are in full swing. We go series by series, looking at how teams have fared so far and who will come out on top. Thanks for listening! Please rate and review our show on your favorite listening platform. Check out our partner's website at www.insidetherink.com for all your latest hockey news.
  1. Stanley Cup Aspirations
  2. The Final Countdown
  3. Here Come the Playoffs
  4. Home Stretch
  5. Kevy Cooks

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Patrick Hoffman

Patrick covers the NHL for Inside The Rink. He has previously covered the league for The Ultimate Hockey Fan Cave, WTP Sports, Sportsnet.ca, Kukla’s Korner, Spector’s Hockey, NHL Network Radio blog, TheHockeyNews.com, The Fourth Period, Stan Fischler’s “The Fischler Report”, as well as a slew of others.

Leave a Reply

Tanner Jeannot of the Los Angeles Kings

Player Profile: Tanner Jeannot

Tanner Jeannot was born on May 29, 1997, in Estevan, Saskatchewan. The left-shooting forward played for three seasons with the Estevan Bruins from 2010-13. In his first two seasons with the U15 club, Jeannot scored 29 goals and collected 18 assists in 42 games and five goals and three assists in ten postseason games. Jeannot […]

Read More
Gage Goncalves of the Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay Lightning Make Significant Player Signings To Start July

As free agency has started in the National Hockey League, many teams, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, are making significant roster moves with free agents and player extensions. Just yesterday, July 1, for day one of free agency, the Lightning extended young 24-year-old Portuguese forward Gage Goncalves to a two-year contract worth $1.2 million a […]

Read More
William Moore 2025 Draft Profile

Breaking Down Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney’s Draft

Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney has been in his position for ten years now and has seen success with one Stanley Cup Finals appearance and one historic regular season. This past season was the first time since 2016 that the Bruins failed to make the playoffs. Sweeney has added pieces to the prior core […]

Read More