Blackhawks Eye Georgiev Return as Goaltending Fix

Alexandar Georgiev cleared unconditional waivers in November 2025 before signing a two-year contract with Spartak Moscow that ends after one season at age 30.

Georgiev Path Back to NHL

Georgiev posted 38 wins in 2022-23 with the Colorado Avalanche before a midseason 2024 trade to San Jose and a 2025 one-year $825,000 deal with Buffalo that produced a 3.38 GAA in limited action. His agent Stanislav Romanov confirmed the explicit goal of an NHL return after Spartak terminated the remaining year of his KHL deal, creating unrestricted free agency at the exact moment the Blackhawks list goaltending among their open-ended offseason targets.

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has signaled willingness to explore any avenue, including trades or free-agent additions, while the team holds the No. 4 pick and multiple future assets. Georgiev’s prior NHL experience contrasts with the developmental timeline of prospects like Arvid Soderblom, giving Chicago an immediate bridge option rather than another multi-year project.

The timing aligns with Blackhawks salary-cap flexibility after shedding several veteran contracts, allowing a short-term deal near the veteran minimum that still carries performance incentives unavailable in the KHL.

Fit With Rebuilding Roster

Scott Powers reported in The Athletic that Chicago remains open to any significant piece entering the market, explicitly naming interest in left-handed puck-moving defensemen and forward depth while retaining core pieces such as Frank Nazar. Georgiev supplies the veteran net presence missing from a group that finished 2025-26 outside playoff contention, freeing draft capital for position players rather than another goalie selection.

Blackhawks already plan to re-sign Ilya Mikheyev and pursue younger defensemen; layering Georgiev on a one- or two-year pact avoids the four-first-round-pick cost of an offer sheet on Pavel Dorofeyev while delivering comparable cap relief.

Toronto’s massive deadline ask for Matthew Knies showed Chicago’s unwillingness to overpay in assets, making a pure free-agent signing of Georgiev the cleanest path to incremental improvement without mortgaging the future.

Offseason Timeline and Risks

Georgiev turns 31 in February 2027, placing him in prime window for a prove-it deal before unrestricted free agency again in 2027. The Blackhawks’ July 1 free-agency window opens immediately after the draft, giving them first-mover advantage on a goalie who has already demonstrated 40-win seasons when supported by a structured defense.

Potential downside centers on recent inconsistency, yet the $825,000 cap hit from his Sabres season provides a low floor compared with the $10-million range discussed for Alex Tuch or Dorofeyev. Chicago can structure the contract with performance bonuses tied to games played and save percentage, protecting against regression.

If Georgiev posts even 25 wins in 2026-27, the Blackhawks gain both on-ice stability and trade leverage heading into the 2027 deadline.

Unless the Blackhawks secure Georgiev on a two-year deal before the July 1 free-agency window, their goaltending tandem will rely on unproven internal options through the 2027 draft.