NHL Announces Stanley Cup Final Schedule Scenarios
With time winding down on the Eastern Conference Final and the Colorado Avalanche already punching their ticket through, the NHL is beginning to prepare for the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Today, the league announced the schedule scenarios for the penultimate series, which is dependent on whether the Eastern Conference Final goes to six or seven games.
If the Tampa Bay Lightning, who hold a 3-2 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final, win Game 6 and advance tomorrow night, the Cup Final will commence on Wednesday, June 15th. If the New York Rangers force a Game 7, the series will begin Saturday, June 18. In either scenario, every Stanley Cup Final game will begin at 7:00 p.m. CT.
The Colorado Avalanche, who missed out on the Presidents’ Trophy this season by just three points, hold the home-ice advantage in both scenarios. The last possible day for the 2021-22 NHL season is Thursday, June 30, which is when Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final would occur if the Eastern Conference Final stretches to seven games.
The games are spaced evenly, and played every other day, aside from Games 1 and 2 of the six-game Eastern Conference Final scenario, where Tampa Bay and Colorado would play Game 1 on June 15 and wait until June 18 to play Game 2. In the United States, the 2022 Stanley Cup Final will be broadcast on ABC for the first time in 18 years.
Colorado Hoping Kadri, Cogliano Will Return During Stanley Cup Final
The Colorado Avalanche could have to wait nearly two weeks to resume their postseason run, after defeating the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. The Stanley Cup Final is expected to start on either June 15 or 18 and with the Tampa Bay Lightning pulling even with the New York Rangers, the latter seems more likely at this point.
Outside of the normal rest versus rust debate, you probably won’t hear the Avalanche complaining very much. The team is hoping that both Nazem Kadri and Andrew Cogliano will be able to return at some point during the Final, after both underwent a similar surgery. Head coach Jared Bednar told reporters including Mike Chambers of the Denver Post that Kadri was back in the gym today, doing “everything he can” to get back in time.
The 31-year-old Kadri was having a strong playoff run with 14 points in 13 games before suffering a broken thumb against the Oilers, on a play that resulted in a suspension for Evander Kane. The pending free agent Avalanche forward has been on a tear all season, setting a career-high with 87 points during the regular season and generally playing the best hockey of his life. It has set him up for a huge summer, where he could be looking at a massive raise on the $4.5MM cap hit he has carried since 2016.
A return just in time to play for the Stanley Cup would only help Kadri’s legacy in Colorado if he does end up leaving the team at the end of the year. Cogliano would also be a bonus, though the trade deadline addition doesn’t have quite the same impact as his teammate. The 34-year-old is averaging just over nine minutes a game in the playoffs, though both of his goals have been game-winners.
For the goaltending discussion, Bednar wouldn’t give anything up, saying it is a tough decision between Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz.
Andrew Cogliano Out “For Now”
The Colorado Avalanche have only lost two games so far in their run to the Stanley Cup Final, a feat made even more impressive by the storm of injuries the team has been forced to endure. Defenseman Samuel Girard was knocked out for the rest of the playoffs against St. Louis, and star center Nazem Kadri is not expected to return for the rest of the playoffs either as he recovers from surgery on his thumb. Now, you can add another name to that list. Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano is out “for now,” according to coach Jared Bednar. (as relayed by The Denver Gazette’s Vinny Benedetto) Bednar adds that Cogliano’s injury is a “similar situation” to Kadri’s.
Cogliano, 34, was traded to the Avalanche at the deadline from the San Jose Sharks and has played a valuable, albeit limited role for the Avalanche. Cogliano has been a bottom-sixer and penalty-killing specialist for the team, and while the Avalanche’s penalty kill hasn’t been great (75.7% through 14 playoff games) he has helped the team rank third in goals against per game in this postseason with 2.86, tied with the Carolina Hurricanes. Cogliano hasn’t produced a ton of offense, with only three points in these playoffs, but when he has produced it’s been at important moments, like when he registered the lone assist on J.T. Compher‘s game-winning tally in Game Three against the Oilers.
While Bednar did not reveal the full extent of the injury beyond the comments we previously mentioned, The Athletic’s Eric Stephens did note that Cogliano looked as though he “couldn’t even move his hand” during the presentation of the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. With Cogliano out, perhaps fellow mid-season trade acquisition Nico Sturm draws back into the lineup. Sturm has played in seven of the Avalanche’s playoff games so far and was a reliable defensive forward during his time with the Minnesota Wild. Overall, while this injury is an unfortunate one for both Cogliano and the Avalanche, it’s also an injury that the team should have the necessary depth to overcome.
Nazem Kadri Undergoes Thumb Surgery
Today we previously covered how Colorado Avalanche star Nazem Kadri would be returning to Colorado for further evaluation, and now the extent of Kadri’s absence is becoming more clear. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Kadri had surgery to repair the broken thumb he sustained in a hit by Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane, and that Kadri is “unlikely to be available for the remainder of the postseason.” Dreger notes that while Avalanche won’t rule Kadri out officially, he is still not likely to be seen back on the ice for the rest of the team’s playoff run.
For the Avalanche, this comes as a major blow right when the team is on the cusp of reaching the Stanley Cup Final. The Avalanche hold a commanding 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Final against the Oilers, and have thus far had little trouble getting to that point. The Avalanche have taken these playoffs by storm, and have only lost two games in their entire run so far. A big reason for that success has been Kadri, who has made a major impact on both ends of the ice. Kadri has 14 points in 13 playoff games and has also brought his trademark defense to the table.
This news comes as yet another major injury for the Avalanche, who have already lost Samuel Girard for the playoffs and have their current starting goalie, Darcy Kuemper, out with his own injury as well, although it is not believed to be a serious one. That hasn’t stopped the team from tearing through the Western Conference’s playoff field, though, and it’s definitely possible that this juggernaut team continues its roll even without Kadri.
With that being said, the loss of what Kadri brings to the Avalanche lineup should is still significant. Kadri is an extremely important player for Colorado and his absence makes their task of winning the Stanley Cup far more difficult. So, while the Avalanche are still an immensely talented team, the challenge ahead of them just got a bit steeper.
Kadri Back In Denver For Further Evaluation
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
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
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
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
- 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
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.