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Kadri Back In Denver For Further Evaluation

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Nazem Kadri has returned to Denver for further evaluation according to Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, who spoke with reporters including Peter Baugh of The Athletic today. The injured forward has already been ruled out for the rest of this series and is reportedly dealing with a broken thumb that could require surgery.

That means the pending free agent forward could potentially have already played his last game for Colorado, but teammate Jack Johnson knows that he’ll do “everything he can to get back” as soon as possible. The Avalanche have a chance to sweep the Edmonton Oilers tonight, something that could give them more than a week off, given reports today that the Stanley Cup Final is set to begin on June 15 or 18.

Nazem Kadri Leaves Game With Injury, Out Rest Of Series

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June 5th: After last night’s 4-2 Colorado Avalanche win, coach Jared Bednar announced that Nazem Kadri would be “out the rest of the series” against the Oilers and “possibly longer” in case the Avalanche advance to the Stanley Cup final. Kadri reportedly left Rogers Place with his arm in a cast, as well. While we are awaiting full confirmation on the exact nature of Kadri’s injury, it’s clear this will be a significant one for Kadri and the Avalanche, and a play that Evander Kane may need to answer to the Department of Player Safety for. Kadri’s agent, Darren Ferris, relayed extreme unhappiness about his client’s injury to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh, stating:

I think it’s incumbent on the league to address this targeted hit on Nazem with an appropriate suspension. If they don’t address such a serious and dangerously callus hit, shame on them.

It’s unclear at this time whether Kane will face discipline for the hit, but we should get more information on that relatively soon. The Avalanche now have a commanding 3-0 series lead and are on the cusp of capturing the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl and heading to the Stanley Cup Final. Any discipline handed down to Kane may not end up making a major difference in the series and the Avalanche’s season, but Kadri’s absence likely will. He’s been one of the team’s most important players and is someone they have to hope will be ready for Game One of the Stanley Cup Final, should the Avalanche manage to qualify.

June 4th: Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri was forced to leave Game Three of the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers just a minute into the action after taking a hit from Edmonton’s Evander Kane into the boards. Kane was assessed a five minute major for boarding on the play, but was not ejected from the game. Kadri remained on the ice next to the end boards for several minutes before being helped off the ice.

After the play, referees Wes McCauley and Eric Furlatt conferred to discuss the call, initially ruling it a major penalty before reviewing the play, ultimately confirming their call. Losing Kadri for any stretch of time is a massive blow to the Avalanche, who are now without one of their premier offensive and defensive forwards and their second line center. On top of losing one of their most important players, Colorado will also have to play without a forward for nearly the entire game, unless Kadri should return. Though teams regularly play with 11 forwards in the lineup, they do so with seven defensemen dressed. On the same note, Edmonton came into the game dressing 11 forwards and seven defensemen, so the decision not to eject Kane from the game is a major relief for the Oilers.

The 2021-22 season has been nothing short of spectacular for Kadri, who amassed 87 points in just 71 games in the regular season, not missing a beat in the playoffs, putting up 14 points in 12 games coming into tonight. Colorado currently holds a 2-0 lead over Edmonton in the Western Conference Finals, giving them some room to breathe, however the team has not been this far in the playoffs in two decades and still must close out the series before winning another if they would like to clinch a Stanley Cup, and Kadri’s presence in the lineup could be imperative to doing so.

East Notes: DeAngelo, Helm, Othmann

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With the departure of Dougie Hamilton in the offseason, many questioned how the Carolina Hurricanes would rebuild their defense. Controversially, they signed Tony DeAngelo to a one-year deal after he was bought out by the New York Rangers. The signing hit about as well as the team could’ve hoped, with off-ice distractions mostly limited. Now a restricted free agent, the team has exclusive rights to keep him around.

Both the team and player want to keep the relationship going, though. DeAngelo notes a feeling of acceptance from the team. It will undoubtedly be a large increase over his $1MM cap hit, however, but that’s something they can try and work out with almost $20MM in cap space. The team has a lot of free agents, though, and they’ll need to be picky about how they allocate their money. He performed with 51 points in 64 games.

  • The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel took a look at potential cheap, veteran replacements to fill the hole Jason Spezza left on the ice with his retirement. First on his list is pending UFA forward Darren Helm, who most notably recently knocked the St. Louis Blues out of the playoffs with just seconds left in regulation. As Helm, a member of the Colorado Avalanche, could be phased out of the organization this offseason with younger players fighting for roles, the Leafs could provide a home for him on the open market. The Stanley Cup-winning veteran had 15 points in 68 games this season.
  • Larry Brooks of The New York Post reports that, even if his OHL Flint Firebirds are eliminated tonight, top New York Rangers prospect Brennan Othmann won’t sign his entry-level contract and join the Rangers for the remainder of their playoff run. Othmann, who the Rangers selected 16th overall in 2021, had a fantastic year with 50 goals and 97 points in 66 OHL games this season. He’s added 24 points in 19 playoff games as well. However, it seems as though the team is content to either leave him in juniors for another season or wait to sign him until the offseason.

Darcy Kuemper Out; Pavel Francouz Likely Starter

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Darcy Kuemper wasn’t on the ice for the Colorado Avalanche at morning skate according to Gene Principe of Sportsnet, as Pavel Francouz and Justus Annunen occupied the nets instead. The veteran netminder was pulled from game one with an upper-body injury, and head coach Jared Bednar wouldn’t comment on the specifics yesterday, other than to say “we’ll see” if he would be ready for game two. Bednar confirmed following the skate that Kuemper is indeed out for tonight’s match.

Kuemper, 32, has dealt with injury issues his entire career and already had a bad-luck incident in the playoffs that took him out for a few games. Against the Nashville Predators in the first round, a stick came through Kuemper’s mask and hit him in the eye, forcing Francouz into the net for a game and a half. While the Avalanche had no trouble finishing that series, they’re in tough against an Edmonton Oilers team that has had no trouble scoring goals.

If it is Francouz, it’s another chance for him to prove not only that he can handle an NHL playoff game, but that he can be part of a tandem for next season. Kuemper is a pending unrestricted free agent, while the 31-year-old Francouz is signed through 2023-24. To this point in his short NHL career, and despite strong regular season numbers, the Czech netminder has been completely unreliable in the postseason, recording an .891 save percentage in nine appearances. Six of those came in the 2020 bubble playoffs when the team ultimately went with Michael Hutchinson in the deciding game seven against the Dallas Stars.

The Oilers meanwhile had their own goaltending issues in game one, which saw Mike Smith pulled from the net after allowing six goals on 25 shots. Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that there is a “strong indication” that the team will go back to Smith for game two, which shouldn’t be much of a surprise given how much faith they have shown in the veteran netminder thus far.

Through 13 games this postseason, Smith has a solid .917 save percentage and even leads the playoffs with two shutouts. While he can be a bit of an adventure at times, there’s little doubt at this point that he gives them the best chance to win.

Unclear If Kuemper Will Return For Game 2

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  • Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar wouldn’t give up any details on the upper-body injury that took Darcy Kuemper out of the game last night, and only said “we’ll see” if the veteran goaltender is ready to go in game two. As Mike Chambers of the Denver Post relays, Bednar refuses to get into the injury at this point in the playoffs. He did indicate the team has full confidence in Pavel Francouz, who has now been forced into game action in two of the three Colorado series.

Darcy Kuemper Leaves Game For Colorado Avalanche

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After dealing with an equipment issue to start the second period of game one of the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers, Darcy Kuemper left the game mid-way through the second period, appearing to be injured (link).  Kuemper was replaced by Pavel Francouz in net after the former had gone to the dressing room. According to TNT’s broadcast of the game, Kuemper’s return to this game is considered doubtful, Kuemper having an upper-body injury.

Francouz entering the game marks the fourth goaltender used in this game between the two teams, Edmonton pulling Mike Smith after Colorado scored its sixth goal, replacing him with Mikko Koskinen. This isn’t Francouz’s first action or Kuemper’s first departure of the postseason, as Kuemper was forced to leave game three of Colorado’s first round series against the Nashville Predators after Ryan Johansen’s stick blade appeared to go through his mask and hit him in his eye. Francouz would replace Kuemper then, starting in the series-clinching game four as well, with Kuemper returning for the start of the second round against the St. Louis Blues.

Colorado acquired Kuemper this past offseason to replace the outgoing Philipp Grubauer, who signed with the Seattle Kraken. The new Avalanche goaltender had a solid first season in Colorado, posting a .921 save-percentage and 2.54 goals-against average in 57 regular season games. Despite solid numbers in the playoffs coming into tonight, including a .907 save-percentage and 2.44 goals-against average in nine games, Kuemper has appeared to be shaky at times, including three goals surrendered to the Oilers in the first half of tonight’s game before leaving with injury.

Thus far, the seriousness of Kuemper’s injury is not yet apparent, and there is the potential that the equipment trouble he was dealing with to start the period necessitated him leaving the game altogether. Colorado’s starting netminder had visited the bench several times between whistles in the second period before exiting. Still not an ideal situation, an equipment malfunction would certainly be the preferred outcome for Colorado, who still has two series to win in their pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

Looking At A Pair Of Intriguing Colorado Avalanche UFAs

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With the Colorado Avalanche headed to their first Conference Finals in 20 years and vying for their first Stanley Cup Championship since 2001, much has been made about their impending UFAs and their ability to re-sign them. The bulk of that discussion has centered around star center Nazem Kadri and starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper, both of whom were brought in to take Colorado to the next level as a playoff team, and the noise surrounding them has been more than justified. Kuemper posted another strong season, his first in Colorado, with a .921 save-percentage and 2.54 goals-against average. Kadri, already a strong performer, had nothing short of a sensational breakout year, with 28 goals and 59 assists in 71 games. Not surprisingly, both have carried their production over to the playoffs. If and when Kadri or Kuemper hit the UFA market in July, they will have plenty of interest.

As much as the chatter around those two is justified, there are two key pieces of the Avalanche also on the heels of breakout seasons, headed for free agency, who appear to have considerably less buzz. Despite the lack of hype, or maybe being overshadowed on a star-studded team, forwards Valeri Nichushkin and Andre Burakovsky will hit free agency with, one would expect, strong markets for their services.

Burakovsky’s production is not exactly a new phenomenon, as the winger has averaged 0.79 points-per-game over his three seasons in Colorado, his 61 points in 2021-22 actually representing a (very small) step down at 0.76 points-per-game, but is a major step-up from the 0.44 points-per-game he averaged with the Washington Capitals previously. For the most part, COVID-19’s schedule disruptions are responsible for Burakovsky’s lower point totals in the two seasons prior to this one, however this season represent’s Burakovsky’s ability to produce at this rate not over 50-60 games, but over a full NHL season. Although Burakovsky has amassed his numbers on an incredible offensive team like Colorado, during a period of increased scoring league-wide, he has shown the ability to stay in the lineup and produce consistently, and at just 27 years of age, he appears ripe for a longer-term contract.

Unlike Burakovsky, Nichuskin had a true breakout season, setting a career-high with 52 points, 18 more than his previous career-high of 34 set in his rookie season in 2013-14 with the Dallas Stars. After three seasons with Dallas, Nichushkin left the NHL to play with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, but returned for the 2018-19 season, where he struggled to just 10 assists in 57 games for Dallas. He would leave Dallas for Colorado, where he would find consistent production before a strong 2021-22 season. Though Nichushkin does not have Burakovsky’s consistency, he has shown his ability to adapt and produce throughout his career, entering the league as an 18-year-old, where he put up 34 points. He has shown an ability to produce in the NHL since then, and while his production back home in the KHL was no more impressive than his NHL production to date, he proved he could take his game from one league and one side of the globe to another and produce, then back once again. Nichushkin also has a factor in his game that cannot be taught or taken away: his size. Listed at 6’4 and 210 pounds, Nichushkin is able to use his body to impose himself and create space for him and his teammates.

Nichushkin may have trouble finding the term that Burakovsky might be able to, however his unique skillset and his recent production should be enough to land him a contract with a strong AAV, and at just 27 years old, if he can continue to match his 2021-22 production over the life of a shorter contract, perhaps two or three years, he could be in line for a long-term deal in the future.

Looking at the market for these two certainly does not mean that Colorado will not be able to retain one or both of them, however the organization does have several questions to ask. First and foremost among them is how do they fit along with trying to re-sign the aforementioned Kadri and Kuemper? After letting goaltender Philipp Grubauer sign in Seattle, replacing him with Kuemper, Colorado will likely push to retain Kuemper. As brilliant as Kadri was this season, he is likely headed for a long-term deal with a reasonably high AAV this offseason, and at 32 years of age on opening night, it might not be the most prudent investment for Colorado, especially if they can, instead, re-sign both Nichushkin and Burakovsky.

With $26.485MM in projected cap space this offseason, Colorado could, in theory, bring all four back, leaving things a bit tight cap-wise (and would likely necessitate Josh Manson leaving via free agency). However, issues then arise after next season, when Nathan MacKinnon becomes a UFA, and would require a significant raise over his current, team-friendly $6.3MM cap hit. Defenseman Erik Johnson’s $6MM cap hit would also expire, and while he might take a reduced salary to stick around, it would probably not be enough to balance out MacKinnon’s raise, all of this before considering J.T. Compher’s UFA status, and the expiration of Bowen Byram and Alex Newhook’s ELCs. As much as some of these things seem like future problems for Colorado, the questions they pose back up into now, and how the organization could approach this upcoming offseason with four of their key pieces set to become UFAs.

NHL Announces Conference Final Schedule Scenarios

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After one-half of the conference finalists have been set, the NHL has released the potential schedule matrix for the 2022 Eastern and Western Conference Finals.

No matter what, the Eastern Conference Final will start June 1, whether it be in Raleigh or Manhattan. The Tampa Bay Lightning will be the visitor after sweeping the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Florida Panthers in the Second Round. The Lightning actually finished with the same point total as the New York Rangers (110), but surrender the tiebreaker, so it’s impossible for them to start the series at home. They would also start on the road against the Metropolitan Division champion Carolina Hurricanes. The Eastern Conference Final will be televised on ESPN in the United States.

For the Western Conference, the schedule depends on the result of tonight’s Game 6 between the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues. If Colorado is victorious tonight, the series will start on May 31st in Denver. If it goes to a Game 7, the Edmonton Oilers will travel to either Denver or St. Louis for Game 1 on June 2. In the United States, the Western Conference Final will be on TNT.

The last possible day for Conference Final action is June 15, with a potential Western Conference Final Game 7 between the Oilers and either the Avalanche or Blues.

Andre Burakovsky Expected To Re-Enter Colorado Lineup

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The Colorado Avalanche are expected to make a lineup change for tonight’s game against the St. Louis Blues, re-inserting Andre Burakovsky after he was made a healthy scratch the last two matches. Burakovsky was working with the second powerplay unit at morning skate, while Alex Newhook was on the ice late with the other expected scratches. Speaking to reporters including Peter Baugh of The Athletic, head coach Jared Bednar explained that if Burakovsky does play tonight he wants “to see him come in and work and play his best game.”

Burakovsky, 27, has always been something of an enigma. Armed with all of the skills and measurables that should make him an elite offensive player in the league, he has struggled with consistency for his entire career, both with the Washington Capitals and once he got to Colorado. It seemed as though he had put some of that behind him this season when he set new career highs with 22 goals and 61 points in 80 games, but a difficult run of play in the postseason had him down on the fourth line and then up in the press box. He has three points in seven playoff games, all of them coming in the deciding game four against the Nashville Predators.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the whole saga is that Burakovsky is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Currently in the final season of a two-year deal he signed in 2020, which carries a cap hit of $4.9MM, the 6’3″ winger could be a highly sought-after commodity on the open market. He also could be an important piece for the Avalanche to bring back, but with nearly half their roster headed for free agency, it might not be financially possible if he’s looking for a raise. Burakovsky is joined by Nazem Kadri, Valeri Nichushkin, Josh Manson, and Darcy Kuemper among the team’s many pending UFAs, meaning some difficult decisions will have to be made.

There’s no doubt that on many teams, Burakovsky would be nowhere near the press box despite his inconsistent play. The Avalanche are one of the deepest forward groups in the league at the moment, and have the luxury of moving someone like Newhook in whenever necessary. Make no mistake though, this is the time of the year that can really change a player’s perception around the league and add millions of dollars to a contract negotiation; Burakovsky has a chance to take advantage of that opportunity, and show he can be relied on in the most important situations.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Samuel Girard In "Good Spirits" After Broken Sternum

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  • Samuel Girard may not be taking part in the rest of the playoffs but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to leave his teammates alone. According to Mike Morreale of NHL.com, the injured defenseman was at yesterday’s morning skate after being released from the hospital and is in “good spirits” according to head coach Jared Bednar. Girard suffered a broken sternum in game three, but he was able to watch his club secure a game four win and a stranglehold in their second-round series against the St. Louis Blues. There is no official timeline released for Girard’s recovery but he will not return even if the Avalanche advance.

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