{"id":131044,"date":"2022-07-26T11:27:41","date_gmt":"2022-07-26T15:27:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=131044"},"modified":"2022-07-26T11:27:41","modified_gmt":"2022-07-26T15:27:41","slug":"pros-cons-avalanche-losing-nazem-kadri","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2022\/07\/26\/pros-cons-avalanche-losing-nazem-kadri\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pros and Cons of Not Signing Nazem Kadri for the Colorado Avalanche"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nazem Kadri<\/a> has been everything the Colorado Avalanche<\/a> have hoped for since they acquired him in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, except for his high hit on Justin Faulk<\/a> during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. When the Avs brought in Kadri they were in desperate need of some depth help, especially at the center position. Kadri instantly brought stability to the second-line centre position.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, with Kadri being an unrestricted free agent, the Avalanche are at a crossroads regarding what to do with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pros and Cons of the Avs Letting Nazem Kadri Walk<\/b><\/h2>\n

There is little doubt the Avalanche want to bring Kadri back. The issue is Kadri decided to go out and have the best season of his career<\/a>, scoring 87 points (28 goals, 59 assists) in 71 games. Kadri left 11 games on the table due to injury. Had Kadri played a full slate of games he would have hit the 100-point mark on the season. For a guy whose previous season high in points was 61 back in 2016-17 with Toronto, that’s not bad.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe Sakic<\/a> typically does a great job of foreseeing the future and sigs extensions prior to their current deal running out. He did so with Samuel Girard<\/a> and Devon Toews<\/a>. Had Sakic done the same with Kadri he might have been able to get him for a relatively modest increase from his $4.5 AAV contract. I don\u2019t think anybody, maybe including Kadri, expected him to go out and have the season he did. Which also included his first ever All-Star appearance (voted in by fans as the last man in).<\/span><\/p>\n

We live in a \u201cwhat have you done for me lately\u201d society in sports. When a player has a career year in the last year of a contract, teams will zero in on that season when they make their sales pitch.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is where the Avalanche have a lot to consider. Do they pay for a player who has done everything asked of him since coming to Denver, which has resulted in a Stanley Cup championship? Or do they admit they just can\u2019t make the moves necessary to clear the cap space to bring him back? Let\u2019s look at the options.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

pic.twitter.com\/cR03GlVDGQ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 15, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n