The Colorado Avalanche have hired former NHL goaltender Peter Budaj to be a development coach for goalies.
Budaj, who will be 39 in September, called it a career after the 2018-19 season. Drafted by the Avalanche 63rd overall in 2001, he played in 368 NHL games, sporting a 158-132-40 record, to go along with a .904 save percentage and 2.70 goals-against average. He played the majority of his career with the Colorado Avalanche, as well as tenures with the Montréal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Los Angeles Kings.
The Slovak native will surely be a positive hire for an Avalanche organization with young goalies like Justus Annunen, who struggled in the LIIGA in 2020-21 with a .884 SV% after an elite .929 SV% the season prior.