Terry Frei
Nazem Kadri didn’t have a lot of company Wednesday at the Avalanche’s practice at a quiet Ball Arena.
The veteran center was one of only six skaters who joined goalie Trent Miner for the optional session.
Kadri was cleared off the COVID-19 protocol on Tuesday and skated at practice that day, and he was back out for the optional Wednesday.
Among the others were defensemen Bo Byram, still trying to make it back from his latest bout with a head injury, and Ryan Murray, recovering from a lower body injury.
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After seven COVID-related postponements that bridged the holiday break, the earliest the Avalanche could play again is Sunday afternoon at home against Anaheim. Although the NHL and NHLPA Wednesday annnounced they’d agreed to what appear to be less strict COVID protocol modifications, the word “if” probably remains appropriate in any discussion of schedules.
Kadri’s latest points streak is at seven games, and he has 11 goals and 27 assists in 24 games for the Avalanche. His 38 points lead the Avalanche. He has missed three games, but he’s played more games than all members of the top line — Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen.
In Kadri’s case, his stint in COVID protocol didn’t cause him to miss more games, since Colorado hasn’t played since the bizarre December 16 loss at Nashville.
“I’m feeling a lot better,” Kadri said on the Avalanche’s post-practice Zoom call Wednesday. “I think I just had to grind it out for a couple days. Had a couple of mild symptoms, nothing too outrageous. It’s always good to be back at the rink and seeing the guys. I’m excited to be back.”
Kadri said he didn’t suffer much of a conditioning setback — if any, at all. He said he did get on the exercise bike while unable to practice.
“I have the gym downstairs, which helps,” he said. “When you first get the virus, it’s a little tough and you might feel a little fatigued, but like I said, after two or three days, you’re back to feelilng like yourself. I mixed in a couple of workouts, noting too extreme, just to keep the blood flowing and your heart rate up. Nothing too severe, but it was definitely good to get some pace.”
And back on the ice?
“There’s obviously a litte bit of rust when you’re off the ice for 19 or 20 days, whatever it was,” Kadri said. “But I don’t think it’s like you forget how to play or anything like that. I think it’s something that comes naturally.”
Terry Frei ([email protected]) is a Denver-based author and journalist. He has been named a state’s sports writer of the year seven times in peer voting — four times in Colorado and three times in Oregon. His seven books include the novels “Olympic Affair” and “The Witch’s Season.” Among his five non-fiction works are “Horns, Hogs, and Nixon Coming,” “Third Down and a War to Go,” “March 1939: Before the Madness,” and “’77: Denver, the Broncos, and a Coming of Age.” He also collaborated with Adrian Dater on “Save By Roy,” was a long-time vice president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and has covered the hockey Rockies, Avalanche and the NHL at-large. His web site is www.terryfrei.com and his bio is available at www.terryfrei.com/bio.html
His Colorado Hockey Now column archive can be accessed here