The Colorado Avalanche remain one of the NHL’s elite teams, and once again, it looks like Nathan MacKinnon and company are destined for another deep playoff run. With their star power and championship pedigree, it’s nearly impossible to leave them out of the Stanley Cup conversation.
However, this roster still has its cracks — and one major flaw continues to resurface. Colorado’s offense is heavily top-loaded, with limited scoring depth beyond its star players.
To their credit, the Avalanche have shown modest improvement in that department this season. A year ago, only three players — Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen — surpassed the 50-point mark. But Rantanen’s midseason trade shook things up. His replacement, Martin Nečas, produced at nearly a point-per-game pace in his 28 contests with Colorado and finished with 83 total points between his time with the Avalanche and the Hurricanes.
This season, six players are tracking toward 50-plus points, signaling better balance — though still not quite enough. And while scoring depth has improved, another long-standing issue remains unresolved: the lack of a true second-line center.
The Avalanche tried to address that last year by acquiring Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders, but his play has dipped this season. That’s prompted speculation about whether Colorado could turn to a familiar face. Daily Faceoff’s Mike Gould floated the idea of bringing back Nazem Kadri, the fiery center who played a pivotal role in the team’s 2022 Stanley Cup triumph.
“The Colorado Avalanche know all about what Kadri can bring to a team, considering that they wouldn’t have won the Stanley Cup in 2022 without his incredible playoff performances,” Gould wrote. “There’s been a Kadri-sized hole in the Colorado lineup ever since he left in 2022 to sign with the Flames.”
Avalanche Could Take Advantage of Calgary Flames Rebuild
Last season, the Colorado Avalanche secured another playoff berth — but Nazem Kadri, now with the Calgary Flames, was left on the outside looking in. Calgary missed the postseason by the slimmest of margins, losing a tiebreaker to the St. Louis Blues for the final Wild Card spot.
Unfortunately for Kadri and the Flames, things have gone from bad to worse in 2025-26. Through 16 games, Calgary sits at 4-10-2 — dead last in the NHL and two points behind the Blues for 31st overall.
So far, the organization hasn’t committed to a rebuild, but continued struggles could force their hand. If Calgary decides to explore the trade market, Kadri would likely become one of their most attractive assets — a proven veteran with leadership and playoff pedigree that contenders crave.
Nazem Kadri Could Spark Colorado Once Again
The Avalanche remain stacked with elite talent, but as Daily Faceoff’s Mike Gould noted, they’ve never truly replaced what Kadri brought to their 2022 Stanley Cup-winning roster. His production and fiery competitiveness were essential during that championship run, where he tallied seven goals and 15 points in 16 playoff games.
Since his departure, Colorado has tried — and failed — to find a comparable second-line center. Bringing Kadri back could reignite the chemistry that fueled their title push. With Mikko Rantanen gone and the team still searching for consistent secondary scoring, Kadri’s playoff experience and two-way reliability could make him the missing spark the Avalanche need for another deep postseason run.