DENVER — Coach Jared Bednar confirmed Tuesday morning that Mackenzie Blackwood’s rehabilitation from offseason surgery to repair a lower-body injury progressed more slowly than the organization initially anticipated.
As detailed in my earlier coverage for Mile High Hockey, Blackwood was seen taking shots on September 5 at Family Sports Center during the final minutes of an optional skate. He participated in the following sessions in a limited capacity, with Scott Wedgewood absorbing the bulk of the reps, a disparity that prompted some rinkside observers to question Blackwood’s health. Roughly a week later, he appeared in an injured-skate group, and the Vegas Golden Knights’ broadcast of a preseason game against Colorado on September 30 confirmed he had undergone surgery. However, those who witnessed Blackwood’s prior skates had already noticed he was struggling and appeared to be in pain while trying to push off his right leg. He rejoined the main group on October 6 but ultimately missed the entirety of training camp and the preseason.
Bednar told The Hockey News after morning skate that Blackwood did have a setback in his initial recovery.
“He was slow moving with his rehab throughout the whole course of the summer,” he stated. “He got on the ice in early August, and things weren’t feeling as good as what they probably should’ve been.
“So we reevaluated him; he got looked at by a couple of different people and changed his rehab and gave us a new timeline on his return. No real complications since that point.”
Blackwood Rusty, But Improving
Blackwood made his season debut Saturday, turning aside 20 shots in a 3–2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks. The 28-year-old, who was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, also served as backup to Scott Wedgewood in Friday’s 4–2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. Wedgewood, however, will get the start against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. MT on Altitude+, TNT, HBO Max, truTV).
Bednar acknowledged that Blackwood is still shaking off some rust but noted that this week of practice should help him regain his timing and sharpness ahead of a road series against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks.
“He missed most of training camp; he’s been working kind of on his own and lacking team practice time at this point, so that’s why I think this week will be very good for him, practice yesterday; he got some work in today, we’re practicing again tomorrow and Friday, so it’s the most practices we’ve had all year, so I think that will help him get sort of used to game situations and he’ll be ready to go for the weekend.”
In 37 starts for the Avalanche last season, following his acquisition in a trade from the San Jose Sharks, Blackwood posted a career-best 2.33 goals against average and a .913 save percentage, compiling a 22-12-3 record.
Tonight’s Game
As aforementioned, Wedgewood will get the start. In 11 starts this season, he’s compiled a record of 7-1-2 with a 2.55 GAA and a .900 save percentage. We’ll see if the 33-year-old is able to regain his form from the first couple of games of the season.
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