SAN JOSE — Alexandar Georgiev’s time with the San Jose Sharks is ending, with general manager Mike Grier going in a different direction with his team’s goaltending.
Georgiev said minutes after the Sharks’ season-ending 3-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday that Grier has informed him that he will not be back with the team next season.
Georgiev is in the final year of a three-year, $10.2 million contract he signed with the Colorado Avalanche in July 2022 and is set to become an unrestricted free agent. The Sharks acquired Georgiev, winger Nikolai Kovalenko, and two draft picks in December as part of the trade that sent goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to the Colorado Avalanche.
Georgiev, 29, went 7-19-4 with an .875 save percentage in 31 games with the Sharks.
“I already had a conversation with the GM, and he said they’re going with a different group for next year,” Georgiev said Wednesday night at SAP Center. “So I know that I’ll be a part of a different team, and at least that’s good to know, and I know that I have a new challenge and team to play for. It will be very exciting for me.”
Understandably, Grier and the Sharks want to make changes. As a team, San Jose had the NHL’s worst goals against average (3.75) and third-worst save percentage (.881), only ahead of Buffalo (.879) and Philadelphia (.872).
The Sharks finished the year in last place in the NHL’s overall standings with a 20-50-12 record.
In 48 games with the Sharks and Avalanche this season, Georgiev went 15-25-4 with an .874 save percentage.
“I hope the group here is good. They deserve to win and deserve good goalies,” Georgiev said. “So that’s up to the management now.”
Georgiev did not always have the support and structure from the skaters around him, but he still struggled with consistency during his time in San Jose. Among the 43 NHL goalies who played in at least 30 games this season, Georgiev, per MoneyPuck, was 42nd in goals saved above expected per 60 (-0.409) in his time with the Sharks and Avalanche.
Georgiev enjoyed working with Sharks goalie coach Thomas Speer and firmly believes he can help an NHL team.
“It’s good to be a free agent. It’s good to see what’s going to happen this summer,” Georgiev said. “I know I’ve got a lot of good hockey left to play, and I think I made a lot of good steps working with (Speer) this season, it’s been really beneficial.
“It’s business, right? They have their own decisions, and you don’t know what (goes) into them often, so you try not to overthink it.”
Georgiev also enjoyed playing in front of the Sharks’ faithful.
“It’s incredible. Honestly, been so impressed with how dedicated the fans are,” he said. “We had such a tough season, losing a lot, and then you come up to the gym after a game at 11 p.m., and you leave the rink, and big crowds are waiting just for autographs or just a picture, or just saying hi. It’s kind of crazy.
“And the practice rink, too. A lot of fans are waiting and giving us gifts. I got a book today, a Lego set, candy, and whatnot. It was too big of a bag to tell what else was there. It’s pretty crazy. They’re very dedicated. You can tell they’re big, big Sharks fans for life, just not just hockey fans. You can really tell the city cares about the team.
“Stuck with the team even in tough times.”
The Sharks only have one goalie under contract for next season as the first year of Yaroslav Askarov’s two-year, $4 million deal begins. Georgi Romanov, who backed up Georgiev on Wednesday, is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, as is Gabriel Carriere, now in his first season with the Barracuda.
Georgiev will not be the only player the Sharks part ways with this offseason. Defenseman Jan Rutta is also a pending UFA, and forwards Kovalenko, Klim Kostin, Thomas Bordeleau, Noah Gregor, and Danil Gushchin are set to become restricted free agents. It’s unclear how many of them will be back.
“I feel like I’ve worked hard every game I’ve been in the lineup,” Gregor said Wednesday morning. “I think that’s something I’ve learned that you have to have, is just compete. You can’t really worry the about other stuff, as long as your compete level’s there, the rest should follow. I’m happy with the way I’ve played, and the rest is kind of out of my hands.”
