Calvin Pickard Staying With Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche has re-signed 23 year old goaltender Calvin Pickard to a one year deal. Pickard was up and down between Colorado and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. In 16 games with the NHL Avalanche, he went 6-7-3 with a goals against average of 2.35.
Pickard was up and down from the Avs all year, to the point of being recalled five different times. He played in 50 games with the Monsters where he went 23-17-9 with a goals against average of 2.61 and he recorded three shutouts.
This season Pickard could see more NHL time, but if he does head for the AHL, it will be with the Avs new affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage.
A second round draft pick in 2010, Picakard was the 49th overall selection from the Avalanche. He was drafted out of the Western Hockey League where he played for the Seattle Thunderbirds. He set the WHL records for saves and minutes played for a goaltender.
Pickard earned his first NHL victory in relief when he made 17 saves against the Carolina Hurricanes in late November. According to the AHL website, he is the first goalie in NHL history to have his first two career wins in relief in back-to-back games. His second win came the same way when he defeated the Arizona Coyotes three days later, making 25 saves.
In October, Picakard held out a shutout streak that nearly eclipsed 150 minutes. It was the longest streak of a Colorado goalie since Patrick Roy did, who is now the Avalanche coach. Picakard had a 47 save game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a record for an Avalanche goalie.
In his time in the AHL, Picakard has also made an impact. He is the Monsters all time wins leader after picking up his 52nd career victory last season.
Picakard will make $850,000 and if not for Reto Berra, he might have been the backup. However, if the Avalanche decide to drop Berra’s $1.45 million, there will be room for Pickard behind starter Semyon Varlamov. It remains more than likely that Pickard will be in the NHL at some point this season, as the team is grooming him as the goalie of the future.