Colorado Avalanche goaltender Justus Annunen (60)
The Colorado Avalanche have reportedly signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a two-year, one-way contract extension, per NHL insider Kevin Weekes. Weekes adds that the deal will carry a cap hit of around $833K.
This move is a welcome bode of confidence in the 24-year-old Annunen, who has played in just 12 NHL games since debuting in the 2021-22 season. He’s managed an admirable seven wins and a .908 save percentage in those appearances — including a .926 save percentage in eight games this season — but he’s still struggled to win out starting spots over backup competition Ivan Prosvetov and Pavel Francouz over the last few years- the latter yet to play this season. The matter isn’t helped by the fact that starter Alexandar Georgiev has played in an NHL-leading 56 games. But now, on a one-way deal, Annunen can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that the start will soon come.
And Annunen has certainly earned the opportunity. Since joining the league at the end of the 2020-21 season, he’s posted 60 wins across 114 AHL games, recording a combined .903 save percentage. He’s seeing that success translate to the NHL for the first time this season, and he’s finally starting to find his footing at the top level. With the progress, Annunen joins fellow 2018 draftees Joel Hofer and Lukas Dostal as encouraging young netminders fighting for starts from a backup role.
Want more articles like this? Follow Pro Hockey Rumors on MSN to see more of our exclusive NHL content.
More must-reads:
Trending slideshow: Every Vezina Trophy winner since the 1981-82 NHL season (Provided by Yardbarker)
News Related-
The best Walmart Cyber Monday deals 2023
-
Jordan Poole took time to showboat and got his shot blocked into the stratosphere
-
The Top Canadian REITs to Buy in November 2023
-
OpenAI’s board might have been dysfunctional–but they made the right choice. Their defeat shows that in the battle between AI profits and ethics, it’s no contest
-
Russia-Ukraine Drone Warfare Rages With Dozens Headed for Moscow, Amid Deadly Winter Storm
-
Trump tells appeals court that threats to judge and clerk in NY civil fraud trial do not justify gag order
-
Can Anyone Take Paxlovid for Covid? Doctors Explain.
-
Google this week will begin deleting inactive accounts. Here's how to save yours.
-
How John Tortorella's Culture Extends from the Philadelphia Flyers to the AHL Phantoms
-
Tri-Cities' hatcheries report best Coho return in years
-
Wild release Dean Evason of head coaching duties
-
Air New Zealand’s Cyber Monday Sale Has the 'Lowest Fares of 2023' to Auckland, Sydney, and More
-
NDP tells Liberals to sweeten the deal if pharmacare legislation is delayed
-
'1,000 contacts with a club': Tiger Woods breaks down his typical tournament prep to college kids in fascinating video