What if the Avalanche re-signed Nazem Kadri instead of Valeri Nichushkin?

Colorado's roster would be wildly different if the Avalanche re-signed Nazem Kadri.

In 2022, the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche had a huge free agency question to answer: re-sign center Nazem Kadri or re-sign winger Valeri Nichushkin. Both star players were highly effective in the playoff run to the Cup. Both players were top targets on the free agency market. And both players were a key piece for the top six in complementing star players Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and captain Gabriel Landeskog.

So, the Avalanche decided to sign Nichushkin, while Kadri signed in Calgary. I wanted them to sign Nichushkin, as I felt (and still do) that he is the piece that makes the top-six really click. Looking at Kadri's performance over his three seasons with Calgary and you could still argue that Colorado made the right choice. Until you bring up Nichushkin missing crucial games in both the playoff series against Seattle and then Dallas the following year. If Nichushkin has to enter the NHL Player Assistance program again, then he would be suspended for a year, with no guarantee of reinstatement.

There's more than just Nichushkin's troubles

Those changes are massive, but it's not just that. If the Avs signed Kadri, their roster would be much, much different. The biggest roster problem the Avalanche have faced since winning the Stanley Cup (besides Landeskog's injury) has been the hole at second-line center. Colorado may have finally found one in Brock Nelson, who they re-signed this offseason, after acquiring him at last year's trade deadline.

First, they tried Ryan Johansen, who wasn't a fit in the offense because he just didn't have the speed. It's also been said that he wasn't a great presence in the locker room. After they dumped him on Philadelphia and traded for Casey Mittlestadt, I thought they had found the answer. Mittlestadt was a young, skilled offensive player who had been stuck in Buffalo. Surely he would breakout in the Avalanche system. Obviously that wasn't the case.

So if the Avs sign Kadri, then there's no need for Johansen. Maybe then, Alex Newhook could have more time to find his place as the third line center behind Kadri. Or JT Compher doesn't walk the following year. Maybe they could re-sign Evan Rodrigues, who was a key player for the 2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Calum Ritchie, one of Colorado's best prospects in years, wouldn't have been a part of a trade for Brock Nelson.

Colorado may have made the wrong choice

This is really hard for me to choose because both players' paths have been a little rocky. While Nichushkin's troubles with staying in the lineup, either due to personal issues or injury, Kadri hasn't produced as well in Calgary. The thing about that is, Calgary isn't Colorado. Kadri had the benefit of playing with the star-studded top six in Colorado.

I still think Nichushkin is a key piece for the top six and with how he handled himself this past season, it seems as if he's gotten a handle on the personal issues he's dealt with. But the fact that Colorado has spent three seasons tossing players at that 2C hole and trading away many, often valuable, assets to do so has been frustrating.

Right now, I'd say the Avalanche should have kept Kadri. I think the Avalanche would've had a much better chance to win those playoff series against Seattle and Dallas. The biggest factor for me has to be not trading away so many pieces to try and fill his spot.

With five years remaining on his contract, there's still time for Nichushkin to prove that the Avalanche made the right move.