Why Avalanche’s Nazem Kadri is missing Flames game before playoffs

Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri will miss Thursday night’s game against the Calgary Flames due to a finger injury, head coach Jared Bednar confirmed. Kadri was injured during Colorado’s 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday after taking a shot to the hand, which forced him out of the game. He played only 6:09 of ice time across seven shifts before exiting.

“He’s going to miss some games here,” Bednar said. “And then, hopefully, we’ll get him in before the playoffs, like playing maybe next week.”

Since being acquired from the Flames in a March 6 trade deadline move, Kadri has played 16 games for the Avalanche, recording 4 goals and 5 assists for 9 points, along with a minus-3 rating while averaging 17:48 of ice time per game. So far this season, he has played 77 games, producing 16 goals and 34 assists for 50 points. With Calgary earlier in the season, he amassed 12 goals and 29 assists across 61 games.

Throughout his career, Kadri has garnered 323 goals and 437 assists over 1,062 NHL appearances with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Avalanche, and Flames. Kadri, who previously won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022, returned to the franchise after leaving Calgary in free agency and rejoining via the trade deadline deal.

The Avalanche enter the matchup with a 51-16-10 record and 112 points, having already clinched the Central Division and the Western Conference’s top seed. Colorado can secure the Presidents’ Trophy with a win over Calgary. The team also remains without defenceman Cale Makar, who is dealing with an upper-body injury.

The post Why Avalanche’s Nazem Kadri is missing Flames game before playoffs appeared first on ClutchPoints.