Avalanche ink Francouz to 2-year extension

The Colorado Avalanche signed goaltender Pavel Francouz to a two-year extension, the team announced Saturday.

The deal carries an average annual value of $2 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Francouz has done an admirable job this season after missing the first 24 games on injured reserve. He owns a .920 save percentage and 2.46 goals against average to go along with a sterling 10-3-1 record.

The 31-year-old was set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

"Pavel is an important component to our goaltending tandem and someone we have full trust in to be a key piece of our team going forward," general manager Joe Sakic said in a statement. "He has showed tremendous perseverance and dedication in overcoming the challenges and injuries he has faced."

Francouz missed the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign after undergoing double-hip surgery.

He has spent his entire 50-game NHL career as a member of the Avalanche and has a career save percentage of .923.