Scott Wedgewood spent ten years as one of hockey’s professional spare parts. Eight organisations. Long seasons in the minors. Three clubs that acquired him and never played him a single NHL game. By the time Colorado traded for him in November 2024 he had made 135 NHL appearances in a career that began in 2016, and he had a losing record. And then he was traded to Colorado, and he posted the best numbers of any netminder in the league.
That season, 2025-26, he recorded a 31-6-6 record, a 2.02 goals against average and 921 save percentage, the best among all players who had appeared in enough games to qualify in the National Hockey League. He earned the William M. Jennings Trophy and Mackenzie Blackwood, finished fifth in voting for the Vezina Trophy (including two first place votes), and guided the Presidents’ Trophy winners to the Western Conference Final. He was 33 and had yet to act as a number-one netminder in the NHL.
| Detail | Scott Wedgewood |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 August 1992, Brampton, Ontario, Canada |
| Age | 34 |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Weight | 201 lb (91 kg) |
| Position | Goaltender |
| Catches | Left |
| Current team | Colorado Avalanche |
| Drafted | Third round, 84th overall, 2010, by the New Jersey Devils |
| Junior hockey | Plymouth Whalers, Ontario Hockey League |
| NHL debut | 20 March 2016, for New Jersey against Columbus |
| First NHL shutout | In his second career game, against Pittsburgh |
| NHL organisations | New Jersey, Arizona, Los Angeles, Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Nashville, Colorado |
| Career regular season | 201 games, 94 wins, 60 losses, 31 overtime losses, 2.68 goals against average, .909 save percentage, 12 shutouts |
| Career playoffs | 15 games, 7 wins, 4 losses, 2.38 goals against average, .902 save percentage. All of the decisions came in 2026; his four earlier appearances were in relief. |
| Major honour | William M. Jennings Trophy, 2026, shared with Mackenzie Blackwood |
| Vezina voting | Fifth in 2026, with two first-place votes |
| International | Bronze medal with Canada at the 2012 World Junior Championship |
| Contract | One year, $2.5 million, signed 13 November 2025, covering 2026–27 |
| Free agency | Unrestricted in July 2027 unless he signs again |
The Ten Years Before
Wedgewood was a third rounder by New Jersey in 2010, 84th overall. That’s a typical spot for a goalie and a typical spot to completely vanish from the radar. Wedgewood arrived in the league in March 2016 and gave the Penguins a shutout in his second game, which would be a pretty decent start in most careers. Instead he was sent back to the American League for another two years.
What came next is the part worth reading slowly.
| Organisation | Years | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey Devils | 2012–2017, 2020–2021 | Drafted and developed here. Made his NHL debut in 2016 and shut out Pittsburgh in his second game, then spent most of the following years in the American Hockey League. |
| Arizona Coyotes | 2017–2018, 2021–2022 | Had two separate spells, the second after being claimed off waivers in November 2021. His first regular NHL workload came here in 2017–18. |
| Los Angeles Kings | 2018 | Acquired in February 2018 but never played a game for the club, spending the rest of the contract in the AHL with Ontario. |
| Buffalo Sabres | 2018–2019 | Spent a full season in Rochester, making 48 AHL appearances and playing no NHL games. |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 2019–2020 | Spent the season in Syracuse, with his campaign interrupted by injury and no NHL appearances. |
| Dallas Stars | 2022–2024 | His steadiest period before Colorado. In 2023–24, he played 32 games and won 16 while Jake Oettinger was injured. |
| Nashville Predators | 2024 | Signed a two-year deal in July 2024, played five games, and was traded by the end of November. |
| Colorado Avalanche | 2024–present | Acquired for Justus Annunen and a sixth-round pick. Became the starter, won the Jennings Trophy, and led the league in goals-against average and save percentage. |
Two entries in that table are notable. Los Angeles acquired him in February 2018, but he did not play a game for them. Buffalo had him for an entire season, and he also did not appear in a game for them. Tampa Bay signed him, and he spent the season in Syracuse. Over three years with three organizations, he made zero NHL appearances, during a period when goaltenders are generally expected to be establishing themselves.
Until Dallas where it began to turn. He played 21 games in 2022-23 and 32 in 2023-24, won 16 while Jake Oettinger was hurt, the first time anyone had depended on him for a long run and he was able to hold up. Then Nashville signed him in the summer of 2024, played him five times, and dealt him before December.
What Colorado Changed
The split is severe enough that it does not really need commentary.
| Period | Games | Wins | Losses | OT Losses | Shutouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Colorado, 2015–16 to November 2024 | 135 | 49 | 50 | 23 | 6 |
| With Colorado, from November 2024 | 66 | 45 | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| NHL Career Total | 201 | 94 | 60 | 31 | 12 |
Sixty-six of his 201 NHL games have come in Colorado. In them he has won 45 times and lost 10 in regulation. Half his career shutouts and very nearly half his career wins have come in roughly a third of his career games.
The truthful way to take it, he says, is that “a chunk of it is him and a chunk of it is the guys in front of him.” In 2025-26, Colorado finished 55-16-11 capturing the Presidents’ Trophy and a goaltender on that team would be seen in a more positive light than that same goaltender in Arizona. The Jennings Trophy, after all, is a partly team award, as it is awarded to the goaltenders on the team that has the lowest goals-against total.
Though, save percentage is not a team metric the same way, and.921 led the league’s qualified goalies. The best way of summing up the whole situation is that Colorado put him into the first truly good scenario of his career, and he was that much better in it than we and Colorado expected.
| Season | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | GAA | SV% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | New Jersey | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1.25 | .957 | Debut and first shutout |
| 2017–18 | Arizona | 20 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 3.45 | .893 | First extended NHL run |
| 2020–21 | New Jersey | 16 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3.11 | .900 | — |
| 2021–22 | Three teams | 37 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 3.14 | .910 | New Jersey, Arizona and Dallas |
| 2022–23 | Dallas | 21 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 2.72 | .915 | — |
| 2023–24 | Dallas | 32 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 2.85 | .899 | Covered for an injured Jake Oettinger |
| 2024–25 | Two teams | 24 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 2.32 | .908 | Nashville, then Colorado from November |
| 2025–26 | Colorado | 45 | 31 | 6 | 6 | 2.02 | .921 | Jennings Trophy; led all qualified goalies |
| 2026–27 so far | Colorado | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2.40 | .902 | Season in progress |
| NHL career | — | 201 | 94 | 60 | 31 | 2.68 | .909 | 12 shutouts |
The 2026 Playoffs, Both Ways
He had never won a playoff game in his life until April 2026. All these years, he had touched the mound as a reliever just a handful of times and that was it. He was terrific in the first round vs. LA. Colorado swept the series, he denied a penalty shot from Quinton Byfield in Game 2, and he finished his first four playoff games with a.950 SV%. He became the first Avalanche goaltender to sweep a series in his first playoff appearance.
The second round against Minnesota was more challenging. Colorado dropped Game 3 in Minnesota, and Wedgewood was replaced by Blackwood, who started Game 4. Wedgewood returned in relief during Game 5, making seven saves as Colorado overcame a three-goal deficit to win the series in overtime. Afterward, Vegas swept Colorado in the Western Conference Final. His playoff line for the run was 11 games (7-4), 2.47 GAA,.904 save percentage. Not bad, but not anything to write home about either and not close to his season averages.
Where He Stands Now
Wedgewood agreed to a 1 year, $2.5 million extension on 13 November 2025 for this season. He celebrated his 34th birthday in August. Next season he’ll be a free agent without restrictions.
For a goaltender who led the league in both goals against average and save percentage, $2.5 million is a relatively modest figure, and it was agreed upon in November 2025, just a few weeks into the season that would define his reputation. Whether his next contract will be based on his performance in 2025-26 or on his previous ten years remains an unresolved question in his career.
Questions People Ask
Who is Scott Wedgewood?
A Canadian goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche, born 14 August 1992. He was drafted 84th overall by New Jersey in 2010 and spent a decade as a backup and minor league goaltender before becoming Colorado’s starter in his thirties.
How old is Scott Wedgewood?
He is 34. He was born on 14 August 1992 in Brampton, Ontario.
What are Scott Wedgewood’s career stats?
201 NHL games, 94 wins, 60 losses, 31 overtime losses, a 2.68 goals against average, a .909 save percentage and 12 shutouts. In the playoffs he has 15 games, seven wins and four losses.
Did Scott Wedgewood win the Jennings Trophy?
Yes. He shared the 2026 William M. Jennings Trophy with Mackenzie Blackwood, awarded to the goaltenders on the team that allows the fewest goals in the regular season. It was Colorado’s second Jennings Trophy.
Did Scott Wedgewood win the Vezina Trophy?
No. He finished fifth in the 2026 voting, receiving two first place votes. Voters are thought to have been influenced by his workload, since he started 43 games while several rivals started considerably more.
What is Scott Wedgewood’s contract?
A one year deal worth 2.5 million dollars, signed on 13 November 2025 and covering the 2026-27 season. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in July 2027.
How many teams has Scott Wedgewood played for?
He has belonged to eight NHL organisations: New Jersey, Arizona, Los Angeles, Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Dallas, Nashville and Colorado. He never appeared in an NHL game for Los Angeles, Buffalo or Tampa Bay.
Also read about: Nikita Kucherov: The Best Bargain in Hockey, and the Biggest Free Agent of 2027
