Colorado Avalanche
BREAKING: Avalanche signs Pavel Francouz to two-year contract
ANAHEIM, CALIF. – Pavel Francouz could have become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Not anymore.
In an early-afternoon announcement by the Avalanche here in Anaheim, the team signed goalie Francouz to a two-year, $4 million contract. The signing means the Avs have two goalies signed through next season at pretty reasonable terms, as injured starter Philipp Grubauer has one year left on his deal beyond this season, at a cap hit of $3.33 million.
“We are excited to have Pavel under contract for another two seasons,” Avs GM Joe Sakic said in a prepared statement. “He has been an important part of our team this year and has performed really well, especially when we needed it most. He is a hard-working professional, a great teammate and has earned his opportunity in the NHL.”
Francouz, 29, has a 14-5-3 record in 24 appearances with the Avalanche this season and ranks sixth in the league in save percentage (.923) and 10th in goals-against average (2.44). The Plzen, Czech Republic, native posted a career-best five-game winning streak from Nov. 7-Dec. 7 and went 9-0-1 from Nov. 7-Dec. 23, the longest stretch without a regulation loss by an Avs netminder since Semyon Varlamov in 2013-14 (11-0-5).
Francouz will start tonight’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.
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I love this! Great team guy all around.
That should change some things in trade negotiations. As the world turns.
Well, that was unexpected…
Man Francouz has some serious fate in Sakic signing these deals. There would have been takers out there for sure. And he must really want to be here too. I love it. I think Francouz makes more of those big time saves than Gruub does. Grubauer then again is probably more consistent with the basic saves. Frankie still developes with more years in the smaller rinks. For a while it might sometimes look like any shot any time could surprise him but that’s pretty basic late entry European goalie stuff. That’s why I was saying they should have played him… Read more »
Good move by Joe.
He’s been the better goalie all season (regardless of the occasional rebound)…
Great news! Now just resign Burky and the Choo Choo for team friendly 2 year contracts too