MacKenzie Blackwood signed a five-year, $26.25 million deal with the Colorado Avalanche — one of the most significant goaltending contracts of the 2024 offseason.
From a late start in hockey to becoming a William M. Jennings Trophy winner, Blackwood’s rise has been as impressive financially as it has been on the ice.
This article breaks down his net worth, contract history, career earnings, and everything in between.
MacKenzie Blackwood’s Biography
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | MacKenzie Blackwood |
| Date of Birth | December 9, 1996 |
| Age (2026) | 29 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Height / Weight | 6 ft 4 in / 225 lb |
| Position | Goaltender |
| Current NHL Team | Colorado Avalanche |
| NHL Draft | 42nd overall, 2015 (New Jersey Devils) |
| Years Active | 2016–present |
| Net Worth | ~$10 million |
| Current Salary | $5,250,000/year |
| Total Career Earnings | ~$40.7 million (projected) |
| @mackenzieblackwood29 |
Early Life and Hockey Journey
MacKenzie Blackwood was born on December 9, 1996, in Thunder Bay, Ontario. His father was involved in local ice hockey teams, while his mother played basketball and track and field.
He began playing ice hockey at the age of nine, comparatively late by Canadian standards, and temporarily quit after only a year.
Most elite Canadian players begin skating at age four or five, making Blackwood’s trajectory all the more remarkable.
When he was 12 years old, the goaltender for Blackwood’s youth hockey team was injured, and Blackwood volunteered to mind the net in his place. He enjoyed the new position and became a full-time goaltender.
That accidental switch proved transformative. By the time he was 16, he had won the OHL starting job with the Barrie Colts. He quickly became one of the most talked-about young goaltenders in North America.
Blackwood was the top-rated North American goaltender ranked in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s final rankings for the 2015 NHL entry draft.
That ranking confirmed what scouts had been saying for years — this Thunder Bay kid was special.
In his third season at Barrie, Blackwood led the OHL in save percentage (.932) and ranked second with a 2.36 goals-against average. Those numbers made his case impossible to ignore heading into draft day.
He was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the second round, 42nd overall, in the 2015 NHL entry draft. Shortly after, the New Jersey Devils signed Blackwood to a three-year entry-level contract.
NHL Career
MacKenzie Blackwood spent time in the AHL with the Binghamton Devils before earning his first NHL call-up.
When goaltender Cory Schneider was placed on injured reserve on December 17, Blackwood was recalled to the New Jersey Devils and made his NHL debut in a 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He showed off his abilities by stopping eight out of ten shots after entering in the third period.
He steadily grew into the Devils’ starting role and became one of the franchise’s most consistent performers.
He set multiple records as a rookie, including becoming the youngest Devils goaltender to record multiple shutouts, surpassing Martin Brodeur. Surpassing a name like Brodeur in Devils history is no small feat.
Internationally, Blackwood represented Canada at the 2016 World Junior Championship and won a silver medal at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.
In July 2023, Blackwood was traded to the San Jose Sharks from New Jersey for a 2023 sixth-round pick. He spent two seasons in San Jose before a pivotal December 2024 trade changed his career arc again.
On December 9, 2024, Blackwood was traded to Colorado from San Jose with Givani Smith and a 2027 fifth-round pick, in exchange for Nikolai Kovalenko, Alexander Georgiev, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
Blackwood recorded his first shutout for the Avalanche in a 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues on January 31, 2025.
In 37 regular-season appearances with Colorado, he started 36 times and notched 22 wins along with a .913 save percentage, a 2.33 goals-against average, and 3 shutouts.
Making his NHL post-season debut on April 20, 2025, Blackwood posted a victory in Game 1 against divisional rivals the Dallas Stars.
He posted his first career playoff shutout, making 23 saves, in a Game 4 4-0 victory on April 27, 2025.
In the 2025-26 season, Blackwood and teammate Scott Wedgewood won the William M. Jennings Trophy after giving up the fewest goals against, at 197.
The last member of the Avalanche to win the trophy was Patrick Roy in the 2001-02 NHL season.
MacKenzie Blackwood’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, MacKenzie Blackwood has an estimated net worth of approximately $10 million.
That figure reflects his career NHL earnings to date, taxes, living expenses, and likely modest investment activity — not the full face value of his contracts.
Contract
MacKenzie Blackwood signed a five-year, $26.25 million contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche.
The deal includes a $5.25 million cap hit, a $1 million signing bonus in 2026-27, and a six-team no-trade clause throughout.
His contract expires at the end of the 2029-30 season, making Blackwood an unrestricted free agent. At 33 years old when the deal concludes, he could realistically command one more significant contract if he maintains his current form.
The Avalanche signed Blackwood after he posted a 1.82 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in five starts following his trade from San Jose.
Colorado’s head coach was clearly sold on his fit with the team’s structure and locker room culture.
Salary
In 2025-26, Blackwood earns a base salary of $5,250,000, while carrying a cap hit of $5,250,000.
That places him among the better-paid starting goaltenders in the NHL, though still below elite-tier contracts held by players like Connor Hellebuyck or Andrei Vasilevskiy.
His salary progression shows consistent upward movement across every contract negotiation — from an entry-level deal to one of the more substantial goaltending agreements the Avalanche have signed in recent years.
Career Earnings By Year
| Season | Team | Salary (Est.) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | New Jersey Devils | ~$709,167 (ELC) |
| 2019–20 | New Jersey Devils | ~$709,167 (ELC) |
| 2020–21 | New Jersey Devils | $2,800,000 |
| 2021–22 | New Jersey Devils | $2,800,000 |
| 2022–23 | New Jersey Devils | $2,800,000 |
| 2023–24 | San Jose Sharks | $2,350,000 |
| 2024–25 | San Jose / Colorado | $2,350,000 |
| 2025–26 | Colorado Avalanche | $5,250,000 |
| 2026–27 | Colorado Avalanche | $5,250,000 |
| 2027–28 | Colorado Avalanche | $5,250,000 |
| 2028–29 | Colorado Avalanche | $5,250,000 |
| 2029–30 | Colorado Avalanche | $5,250,000 |
Career Statistics
| Season | Team | GP | W | GAA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | New Jersey Devils | 26 | 11 | 3.08 | .906 | 1 |
| 2019–20 | New Jersey Devils | 34 | 15 | 2.67 | .913 | 3 |
| 2020–21 | New Jersey Devils | 26 | 8 | 3.09 | .905 | 0 |
| 2021–22 | New Jersey Devils | 42 | 18 | 2.71 | .911 | 2 |
| 2022–23 | New Jersey Devils | 38 | 16 | 2.83 | .908 | 1 |
| 2023–24 | San Jose Sharks | 41 | 10 | 2.94 | .904 | 2 |
| 2024–25 (COL) | Colorado Avalanche | 37 | 22 | 2.33 | .913 | 3 |
FAQs
What is MacKenzie Blackwood’s current salary?
Blackwood earns a base salary of $5,250,000 per season in 2025-26, carrying an identical cap hit with the Colorado Avalanche. That makes him one of the better-compensated goaltenders in the league.
How much is MacKenzie Blackwood’s current contract worth?
Blackwood’s five-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche is worth $26.25 million in total, with a $5.25 million cap hit per season and a $1 million signing bonus in 2026-27.
What is MacKenzie Blackwood’s net worth in 2026?
Based on verified career earnings of approximately $14.45 million, ongoing salary, and standard athlete financial obligations, Blackwood’s estimated net worth in 2026 sits around $10 million — a realistic figure that will grow substantially as his Avalanche contract pays out.
Has MacKenzie Blackwood won any major NHL awards?
Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood won the William M. Jennings Trophy in the 2025-26 season after the Colorado Avalanche allowed only 197 goals — the fewest in the league. It was the first time an Avalanche goaltender won the award since Patrick Roy in 2001-02.
Which teams has MacKenzie Blackwood played for in the NHL?
Blackwood has played for three NHL franchises: the New Jersey Devils, the San Jose Sharks, and the Colorado Avalanche, with Colorado being his current and most lucrative stop by a significant margin.
