Nazem Kadri Q&A: Former Avalanche center talks life in Calgary, receiving his Stanley Cup ring

Jan. 18—CALGARY, Alberta — Nazem Kadri has a Stanley Cup bond with former Avalanche teammates that will never be broken.

Kadri — signed to the Flames last summer in a seven-year, $49-million deal — explained why during a roughly 5-minute group interview before playing Colorado. Kadri appeared in 178 games for the Avs over three seasons (2019-22). Kadri is now playing a top-six role with the Flames, accounting for 35 points (17 goals) entering the game Wednesday night.

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"Of course, I've been following them and keeping tabs on them," Kadri said. "Great friends of mine. Those are relationships that we're going to have for a long time."

Here's what else Kadri told reporters in the home dressing room at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Some questions have been edited or paraphrased for clarity.

Q. How are you adjusting to life in Calgary?

A. "It's good. It's been a pretty smooth transition. It's been a lot of fun. Everyone has been really receptive and welcoming. So, it's been great. ... It's pretty crazy how similar (Calgary is to Denver). I guess they call them sister cities, too."

Q. What memory stands out the most from winning the Stanley Cup?

A. "For me, it's that (game-winning) goal in (Game 4 of) the Finals. That's up there for the best moments of all time in my career. In that fashion, the time and place, it was unbelievable. And that's something I'm never going to forget. ... It was a bit of a roller coaster ride there. Originally, I had thought it had gone in, but I didn't see it pop out. It seemed like (Lightning goalie) Andrei Vasilevskiy pinched his arm and had it. ... Then Bo (Byram) confirmed. It was a good feeling."

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Q. How long did your injured thumb take to heal after the playoffs?

A. "A while, for sure. I had to pull the pins out after the playoffs. They were sticking out of my hand by the last game. It wasn't much fun. But at the end of the day, it was worth it."

Q: What was it like opening the NHL season against Colorado and getting your championship ring?

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A: "As a player, that's tough to happen first game, just receiving that. You don't want to admit it's a distraction but it is to some sort of extent. Now it's kind of nice to get that out of the way and just play the game."

Q. How often do you look at the ring nowadays?

"I do look at it on occasion. ... It brings back great memories. Anytime you're in a bit of a funk, you just have a little peek, and you start feeling good again. ... I put it on, look at myself in the mirror a little bit, and just see what it looks like. Nah (laughs). Of course, you're not going to wear it too often."

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GAMER BOX

Avalanche 4, Flames 1

What happened: The Avs won a third straight game to begin an important road trip, with their need to climb in the Western Conference standings. Colorado played another complete game with high-end scoring and quality goaltending. Put simply, the Avalanche are rolling right now.

What went right: Colorado jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Forward Mikko Rantanen notched his 30th goal of the season and then forward Artturi Lehkonen scored twice (one power-play goal). Forward Nathan MacKinnon recorded a pair of assists. Colorado played a stalemate second period with starting goalie Alexandar Georgiev making a handful of impressive saves. The Avs were awarded a goal late due to a Calgary penalty with an empty net.

What went wrong: Calgary forward Tyler Toffoli scored a power-play goal early in the third period to end the shutout threat.

Between the pipes: Georgiev, after three consecutive games off, looked sharp in his return making 34-of-35 saves. Calgary's Jacob Markstrom stopped 26 of Colorado's 29 shots on goal.

Injury updates: Defenseman Cale Makar missed Wednesday's game with an undisclosed injury and is considered "day-to-day" for return. He is traveling with the team on their current road trip. Defenseman Josh Manson (lower body) joined the team Wednesday for morning skate wearing a red no-contact sweater.

What's next: The Avalanche (23-17-3) play the Vancouver Canucks, 8 p.m. Friday (Altitude TV) at Rogers Arena.