The Buffalo Sabres have signed a fourth goaltender heading into the season in and interesting hockey transaction. Joining Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen of Espoo, Finland, Devon Levi of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec and Alex Lyon of Baudette, Minnesota is Alexandar Georgiev of Ruse, Bulgaria. On Thursday according to Jordon LaBarber of sabres.com, Georgiev signed a one year contract worth $825,000.
Obviously the Sabres will not have four goaltenders on the opening night of the season on October 9 when they host the New York Rangers at the KeyBank Center. It will be interesting to see what the Sabres decide to do with their four goaltenders in the coming weeks. The obvious belief is they would trade somebody for some more offensive depth. We will evaluate the Sabres goaltending in the coming days.
Who has Georgiev played for?
Georgiev îs joining his fourth National Hockey League franchise. He was with the New York Rangers for five seasons from 2017 to 2022, the Colorado Avalanche for three seasons from 2022 to 2024, and the San Jose Sharks for one season from 2024 to 2025.
Georgiev’s 2024-25 NHL Statistics
This past season with the Avalanche, Georgiev split his time with the Avalanche and Sharks. In 49 games, he had a record of 15 wins and 26 regulation losses with four losses in extra time. Georgiev had a goals against average of 3.71 and save percentage of .875.
Topsy Turvy time in Colorado
In his first two seasons with the Avalanche, he led the National Hockey League in wins both years. Georgiev had 40 wins during the 2022-23 season, and 38 wins during the 2023-24 season. However even though Georgiev led the NHL in wins during the season two years ago, he also led the NHL with 183 goals against in 2023-24.
Then in 2024-25, Georgiev was only around the .500 mark on a very good Avalanche franchise. He had a record of eight wins and seven regulation losses. Georgiev also had a goals against average of 3.38 and save percentage of .874. The Avalanche decided to trade Georgiev to the Sharks in a deal that saw goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood of Thunder Bay, Ontario being traded to Colorado. Colorado also made a trade with the Nashville Predators where they acquired goaltender Scott Wedgewood of Brampton, Ontario.
Not better in San Jose either
Georgiev had a goals against average of 3.88 with the Sharks. He gave up five goals or more in a game on six occasions.
Grading Georgiev’s signing with the Sabres
Buffalo’s grade here was a D-. Georgiev was one of the worst goalies in the NHL last season.
