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Avalanche: 3 Stanley Cup champions who won’t be back next season

By Eric Treuden

DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 30: Nico Sturm #78 of the Colorado Avalanche lifts the Stanley Cup on-stage during the Colorado Avalanche Victory Parade and Rally at Civic Center Park on June 30, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 30: Nico Sturm #78 of the Colorado Avalanche lifts the Stanley Cup on-stage during the Colorado Avalanche Victory Parade and Rally at Civic Center Park on June 30, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
(Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images) /

Avalanche players who won’t be back:  #2 – Center Nazem Kadri

Nazem Kadri, 31, was one of the best players in the NHL last season and, like Darcy Kuemper, is in line for a massive payday. Also, like Kuemper, Kadri may have played himself into a contract that is too large for the Avs to take on realistically.

Kadri spent three seasons in Colorado, with his best one yet coming this past season where he made 71 regular-season appearances and scored 87 points, 26 more than his previous career-best. Before joining the Avs, he had never been surrounded by such star-power, leading many to wonder if he will be able to replicate this success with another team.

Regardless of whether he will or will not have another season like last year, Kadri was a very important part of the Avalanche. To start off the offseason, only the Detroit Red Wings have been publicly known to be pursuing Kadri’s services. Once NHL free agency officially opens up, there are likely to be many more suitors that hope to get the 2022 version of him rather than the older version of Kadri that had been occasionally labeled as “a liability on the ice.”

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