Pickard, 24, split this past season between the Avalanche and the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in San Antonio. He posted a 7-6-1 record with a 2.56 goals-against average, .922 save percentage and one shutout in 20 games (13 starts) with the Avs. The Moncton, New Brunswick, native fashioned a 9-8-4 record with a 2.75 goals-against average, one shutout and .917 save percentage in 21 appearances for the San Antonio Rampage.

Following the season, Pickard helped Team Canada capture the gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Russia. He went 2-0 with one shutout in two appearances at the tournament, allowing just one goal on 35 shots for a 0.50 goals-against average and .971 save percentage.

Selected by Colorado in the second round (49th overall) of the 2010 Entry Draft, Pickard has appeared in 36 career NHL games, posting a 13-13-4 record with a .927 save percentage, 2.46 goals-against average and one shutout. He compiled a 6-7-3 record with a 2.35 goals-against average and .932 save percentage in 16 games as a rookie for Colorado in 2014-15. Pickard earned his first two NHL wins in relief, Nov. 22-25, 2014, becoming the first goalie in NHL history to record his first two career victories in relief in back-to-back team games. He compiled a 149:24 shutout streak from Oct. 18 to Nov. 26, 2014, the longest ever by an Avalanche rookie and the longest by any Colorado netminder since Patrick Roy (192:37) in 2002-03.

Pickard is the all-time wins leader (60) for the Avalanche’s previous AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. Prior to turning pro, he spent four seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds where he finished his junior career as the Western Hockey League’s all-time leader in minutes played (14,025) and saves (7,727). He was named to the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team in 2009-10 and Second All-Star Team in 2010-11.