The Colorado Avalanche Are Going to Have a Hard Time Replacing Kadri

The 2021-22 Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche may be missing a key piece of their championship run when training camp begins.

Center Nazem Kadri is looking elsewhere, and the New York Islanders have expressed serious interest. If he signs with the Islanders, there could be a serious roster issue for the Avalanche that could be more extreme than people think.

The center position is one of the more pivotal positions in hockey. They direct and drive the play and are the force that makes things happen.

Colorado already has MVP candidate Nathan MacKinnon as their top-line center. However, if Kadri does leave, who replaces him in that second center spot? The center depth looks bleak, at least for now. No one has grabbed that second spot and ran with it.

The Avalanche will have a hard time replacing Kadri.

Aside from MacKinnon, the center depth, without Kadri, looks like Alex Newhook, Darren Helm, and Tyson Jost. Last season, the scoring from this group was led by Newhook (13-20-33), followed by Helm (7-8-15) and Jost (6-8-14).

Not a lot of production at the center position after MacKinnon.

The Avalanche could acquire a center in free agency, having just $3.9 million left to spend. One player, Sam Steel, had played previously for the Anaheim Ducks, scoring 6 goals and 14 assists for 20 points in 68 games.

For his career, the 24-year-old has 24 goals and 41 assists for 65 points in 197 games. That’s not spectacular offensive production but he could fit in at that third center spot if Newhook is moved to the second-line center.

The Avalanche would be losing experience, scoring, and grit if Kadri does in fact join the Islanders, or any other team for that matter. The Avalanche were 116-47-15 during Kadri’s stint in Colorado.

The Avalanche needs to think of a replacement if Newhook does not grab that second-line center spot. There is not a lot there, and Colorado could be in trouble if that problem is not addressed.

MacKinnon can carry them in point production at forward but he will need help in secondary scoring. Some players will have increased roles, and they need to step up to make a run at another Stanley Cup championship. Colorado needs to make a move before it is too late.