When Will Ilya Nabokov Make Big Impact on Colorado Avalanche Franchise?
The Colorado Avalanche are entering the 2026-27 NHL season with a goaltending duo of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood.
However, fellow netminder Ilya Nabokov has also become a name for Colorado. Drafted out of the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft (the first goalie selected among his draft peers), Nabokov previously established himself among one of the Kontinental Hockey League's (KHL) best goalies and will now battle Trent Miner for starts with the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Colorado Eagles.
The upcoming season will also mark Nabokov's first season playing in North America — so it will require some adjustment to his game.
Per a recent report, the stakes for Nabokov are even higher when Avalanche fans realize that Wedgewood is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Blackwood is set with four years remaining on his Colorado contract, which means Nabokov could be next in line to slot into the goalie tandem with Blackwood.
Nabokov is the son of former NHL netminder Evgeni Nabokov and was previously voted an All-Star, Rookie of the Year, and playoff MVP as he helped his KHL team — the Magnitogorsk Metallurg — claim the Gagarin Cup
Development of Ilya Nabokov Projected to Remain Priority for Colorado Avalanche
It was announced by the Avs on May 30, 2025 that Nabokov inked his two-year, entry-level contract through the 2026-27 season.
He was assigned to the Eagles following the end of his season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in May of 2026.
Prior to his professional career on the ice, Nabokov also played for Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk in the MHL — Russia’s major junior hockey league, from 2019-23.
In MHL regular-season play, he would tally a 61-27-10 record with a 2.02 GAA, .930 save percentage and 14 shutouts across 105 games. As previously referenced, the 6-foot-1, 179-pound goalie also spent two years with Metallurg, compiling a 46-30-9 record, 2.19 GAA, .926 Sv%, and six shutouts over 93 career regular-season KHL matchups from 2023-25 which also saw him capture the 2024 Gagarin Cup.
Nabokov has also made history; he became the youngest goaltender to win playoff MVP honors in the KHL.
His drafting in the second round (No. 38 overall) also marked the highest the Avalanche have selected a goaltender since taking Philippe Sauve at 38th overall in 1998. Nabokov's development is projected to continue along nicely — with the Avs clearly taking steps to ensure his future with the franchise,
Wedgewood was originally traded to the Avalanche by the Nashville Predators in exchange for Justus Annunen and a 6th-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Nov. 30, 2024. As previously mentioned, should Nabokov's development continue, the budding goalie could slot into Wedgewood's place come next summer when the older netminder becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Jennifer Streeter graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M and received her Master of Science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At both schools, she focused on an emphasis of sports reporting. A former athlete herself, "Jenny" was a varsity soccer player and comes from a family who participated in NCAA athletics. She has covered hockey since 2023 and is credentialed for the Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils and PWHL in addition to having covered the 2026 Frozen Four.