Avalanche Activate Scott Wedgewood; Reassign Jack Ahcan, Isak Posch
Goaltender Scott Wedgewood is back with the Colorado Avalanche after welcoming the birth of his second child. He has been activataed from the non-roster list, while defenseman Jack Ahcan and goaltender Isak Posch have been reassigned to the minor-leagues.
Ahcan has played three games since being recalled before Wednesday’s shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks. He recorded one assist, three shots on goal, and a minus-one in the trio of appearances. Those marks bring Ahcan up to two points in nine NHL games this season. He also leads the AHL’s Colorado Eagles defense in scoring with 24 points in 29 games. The 28 year old has proven a reliable utility-knife down Colorado’s depth chart. He will return to a minor-league role and stay a top call-up option for the next time the Avalanche are in need.
Posch did not play with the Avalanche on what was the first call-up of his pro career. He has recorded a 12-5-5 record and .902 save percentage in 20 games as an AHL rookie this season.
Wedgewood missed Colorado’s last two games on his personal leave. Top goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood took over the net and posted a 1-1 record, while allowing eight goals. Wedgewood has earned the lion’s share of Colorado’s starts this season, while Blackwood recovered from injury. He has recorded a dazzling 20-3-5 record and .918 save percentage in 30 games, both just better than Blackwood’s 14-3-1 record and .911 Sv%. The two will continue to operate as one of the best one-two-punches in the league now that Wedgewood is back with the team.
Avalanche Recall Isak Posch, Move Scott Wedgewood To Non-Roster Status
The Avalanche have made a pair of roster moves as they get set to embark on a road trip beginning Sunday in Toronto. The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled goaltender Isak Posch from AHL Colorado. To make room on the roster, netminder Scott Wedgewood has been designated to non-roster status.
Posch is in his first full professional season after signing an entry-level deal with the Avs last March following two seasons at St. Cloud State University. His first taste of the pros has been successful as the 23-year-old has a 2.45 GAA along with a .902 SV% in 20 games with the Eagles and he’ll now be rewarded with a few days of NHL pay for his efforts. He’ll serve as Mackenzie Blackwood’s backup until Wedgewood is able to return.
As for Wedgewood, this is expected to be a short-term absence. His wife just gave birth and the team is granting him a bit of extra time with his family. He’s expected to rejoin the Avalanche on their road trip. It has been a breakout year for the 33-year-old who has a 2.14 GAA with a .918 SV% in 30 starts this season, earning himself a two-year, $5MM extension for his efforts.
Avalanche Sign Isak Posch, Cooper Gay To Two-Year Deals
The Colorado Avalanche have joined in on the college free agent market by signing St. Cloud State University goaltender Isak Posch and University of St. Thomas forward Cooper Gay to two-year, entry-level contracts. Both deals are set to start next season. Neither player has been added to a minor league roster yet.
Posch will turn pro after completing his sophomore season at St. Cloud. He served as an oft-used backup in his freshman season and posted a meager 5-6-2 record and .901 save percentage in 14 games. But with his feet wet with college ice, Posch was able to win out the clear-cut starting role and post a much stronger statline this season. He ended the year with a .923 save percentage – the 11th-highest in the country among goalies with at least 20 games – and a strong 12-10-0 record.
Posch moved to America ahead of the 2021-22 season, after growing up through the IF Bjorkloven and Leksands IF systems in Sweden. He posted a dismal 9-23-3 record and .872 save percentage with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede in his first North American season – getting little support from a then-struggling Stampede defense. That prompted a move to the NAHL for the 2022-23 campaign, where Posch managed a much improved statline, with a 25-13-2 record and .926 save percentage. He entered college with that performance behind his sails, and found a way to continue the strong play into the next step. Posch will join a crowded goalie room in the Colorado organization – and likely faces a battle with players like Trent Miner and Adam Scheel for AHL ice time next season.
Gay will join the Avalanche organization after completing his junior year at St. Thomas. The six-foot-four, 210-pound winger was initially slow-going at the college flight, netting just seven points in 30 games of his freshman campaign. But he found his role as a bruiser on the boards and in the slot last season, helping push him to 12 goals and 21 points in 29 games as a sophomore. Gay built on those numbers this year, with 19 goals and 30 points in 35 games. He also served as one of St. Thomas’ alternate captain this year.
Gay grew up through Benilde-St. Margaret’s School in Minnesota, and spent seasons with the NAHL’s Minnesota Magicians and St. Cloud Norsemen, as well as the USHL’s Fargo Force. He wasn’t much of a scorer at the juniors level – totaling just 13 points in 40 NAHL games and 14 points in 51 USHL games. But he’s come along in recent years, as he continues to find comfort in his lumbering frame. While Posch will have a battle for ice time, Gay’s sturdy frame could give him a clear path to top-nine minutes in the minor leagues. With continued strong scoring, his nitch as a physical, net-front presence could even earn Gay NHL attention in the years to come.