Justus Annunen

December 2024 – Annunen has been traded to the Predators for Scott Wedgewood. Colorado clearly values a more consistent and veteran backup despite a lower upside, while Nashville is happy to let the young and talented Annunen simmer in the wings alongside fellow Finn Saros. He didn’t get hot in Colorado this year but in two games so far in his new home he has posted a .931 and .972 SV%. Upside is still high, but the wait time just got pushed back significantly. Hayden Soboleski

February 2024 – Annunen has been called up to the Avs, who have put their regular backup on waivers. This comes on the heels of 10 wins in his last 15 starts, however he has still been struggling to put together more than two outings in a row over .900 SV%. Avs GM MacFarland has mentioned wanting to reduce his starter’s workload, which could be great news for Annunen owners if he starts hot, but could mean an acquisition if not. Hayden Soboleski

December 2023 – Through 27 Eagles contests in 2023-24, Annunen has started just 13 which marks a downturn for the typical workhorse. A “day to day” lower body injury kept him out of action from mid-November onward, and his first game back on Dec 23 resulted in being pulled for the first time this year so his recovery is worth keeping an eye on. The Avs seem to have found a reliable backup in waiver-wire pickup Prosvetov so expect Annunen to focus on regaining the crease full-time in the AHL for the remainder of 2023-24. His contract expires in 2024 but he will be an RFA not UFA, but there is no reason to believe the 23-year-old 0.905 netminder won’t be kept around to compete for a backup role in 2024-25. Hayden Soboleski

May 2023 – Annunen played 41 games for the Eagles in 2022-23, which was a small step down but still top-10 in the league. As hoped, with another year came more consistency and his final save percentage of 0.916 reflected that. He was the favored goalie throughout the year, however when a depth goalie was brought in for the Avs at the trade deadline, he began losing starts to the veteran Johansson and ended up splitting playoff appearances. Still, the season was a success and another step forward for the potential goalie of the future for the Avs. Expect some NHL tryouts next season, and serious backup consideration after that. Hayden Soboleski

September 2022 – Annunen has been reassigned to the AHL prior to the start of the Eagles’ season. As expected when Colorado extended Francouz and brought in Georgiev, the big Finn will be returning to his workhorse starter role in the AHL where he should maintain his high number of starts but hopefully post more consistent numbers in that time. Colorado lost their 3rd-string goalie on waivers so occasional call-up duties are possible for Annunen (which are valuable fantasy starts given the team in front of him), but his true NHL introduction will wait until 2023 at least, likely 2024. Hayden Soboleski

June 2022 – The AHL Eagles were eliminated in the third round of the AHL Playoffs, carried in part by Annunen who put up a 0.923sv% while starting all 9 contests. Much like his regular season however, this is a mix of hot and cold, with 1/3 of his games ending with a number below 0.900 and 1/3 of his games above 0.950. As the undisputed AHL starter going forward, gaining more consistency will be his net step in the journey to becoming an NHL netminder. Hayden Soboleski

March 2022 – Annunen continues to be a workhorse for Colorado, playing in 38 of 56 games which ties him for second in the league in starts. His 0.908 sv% is a fine average considering the workload but he is still prone to running hot and cold for a week at a time. He will need additional AHL seasoning to work on his consistency. Hayden Soboleski

December 2021 – Annunen is finally playing in a full-time starting netminder role after being a tandem half in Finland. He has played 15 of the AHL Eagles’ 21 games so far, and has a respectable 0.906 sv% to show for it. This is perfectly average overall, but is coming with large swings in both directions. He has five starts with over a 0.950% and six starts below 0.900% (including four in a row), so the consistency is still coming along. This is a key development year for the potential netminder-of-the-future for Colorado, and thanks to injuries in the NHL he had the chance to pick up his first NHL win during a brief call-up. He is still at least two years from consideration as a serious NHL backup though. Hayden Soboleski

September 2021 – Annunen came back down to Earth in 2020-21. His save percentage took a big hit without seeing a major uptick in games played, but he still put up some outstanding performances along the way. He got a short AHL audition at the end of the campaign and will be sticking with the Eagles full-time for 2021-22. He’s still only 21 so has lots of time to adapt to North America. Hayden Soboleski

September 2020 – An undisclosed injury is delaying the start of Annunen’s Liiga 2020-21 campaign. Keep an eye on the 20-year-old’s workload upon return, as despite his outstanding results last season his fantasy value can take another step up if he becomes more of a workhorse. Hayden Soboleski

April 2020 – Annunen finished third in voting for the title of Liiga’s top goalie of the year. This caps off an outstanding campaign for the 20-year-old who ended the year with a 0.929 sv% through 23 games. He remains under contract with Karpat for at least one more season, so as usual with goaltenders he will be a slow cook before being ready for your fantasy plate. Hayden Soboleski

January 2020 – If it weren’t for a rout by Canada in the semifinal, Annunen may have been the top goaltender of the 2020 WJC. He carried a team that was missing significant firepower to injuries late into the tournament, with a notable 1-0 shutout win against Team USA. Even with the poor showing against Canada, he finished the tournament with a 0.921 sv%. His fantasy stock is rising, but remember that goalies are extremely long-term investments. Hayden Soboleski

December 2019 – It wasn’t just a streaky start for Annunen. Now through 13 games, he still rocks a 0.947 sv% as a Liiga rookie. He still splits his team’s starts, so he doesn’t have the “workhorse” factor in play yet, but a 19-year-old having the highest save percentage in the league is a promising sign to say the least. He is the front-runner to own the Team Finland crease in the upcoming WJC. Hayden Soboleski

October 2019 – It’s been a blazing hot start for Annunen in his rookie Liiga season. He’s currently splitting the team’s starts evenly in a tandem role, but he’s making the most of it thanks to 4(!) shutouts and a 0.960 save percentage through seven starts so far. Playing behind a strong team that added Jesse Puljujarvi helps his case, but these are impressive numbers for a 19-year-old nonetheless. He’s staying in Findland for a while, but he is a legitimate goaltending prospect to watch for. Hayden Soboleski

September 2019 – Annunen will be staying in Finland until 2022. His new contract extension with Karpat will hopefully see him become a regular starter in the top-tier league, where he has started the 2019-20 season. Hayden Soboleski

February 2019 – Annunen has spent 2018-19 in the second-tier Finnish league as a 1B netminder, with mixed results. His 17 appearances isn’t too shabby for an 18-year-old, but his 0.894 SV% just isn’t good, and that’s on a good team tied for 1st in league points. He still has lots of time to work on his game, but clearly we need to exercise patience. Hayden Soboleski

June 2018 – The Avalanche have selected Annunen with their second pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. This is a bit higher than most expected, as he was ranked in the 100 range by most draft speculators.

Annunen is a huge body and still growing, so size is not a worry for the Finn and he will always have this as an advantage. His numbers in the Finnish Juniors don’t jump off the page, but he hopes to get some major-league experience next season to continue his development. Expect him to remain in Europe for a few years – do not fantasy draft until he’s proven himself further. Hayden Soboleski