Nazem Kadri Misses Another Practice, and other Avs news

I’ll update this as the afternoon moves along, but real quick: Nazem Kadri is not on the ice for practice today. This marks the second day in a row he missed practice, presumably with the same non-Covid illness that kept him out yesterday.

I suppose Kadri could still play tomorrow, if he feels better and gets in a good skate tomorrow morning. But as well know well as Avs followers, the team usually keeps guys out if they don’t get in at least one real practice in.

Kadri has a great year, then may miss Game 1 of the playoffs. It’s just always something. Bad break. Now the Avs will play their most important game of the year, possibly, without their second-line center. That’s not good.

More as it develops…

UPDATE: Well, Jared Bednar took the day off from the media. So, there is no official word from the team about Kadri. We’ll just have to see what the morning skate tomorrow brings. I would probably bet that there is a low probability he’ll play in Game 1, as I alluded to earlier.

In other news today:

• The Colorado Eagles today got a nice addition to their playoff roster: Avs first-round pick Oskar Olausson. With his junior season in the OHL having ended, Olausson was eligible to go to the Eagles. He could be in their lineup when they open the playoffs Wednesday night in Loveland.
• Avs signed defenseman Danila Zhuravlyov to a two-year, entry-level contract through the 2023-24 season.

  Zhuravlyov, 21, spent the majority of the 2021-22 campaign with Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL, recording six points (1g/5a) in 43 games and adding two points (0g/2a) in six postseason contests. The 6-foot, 163-pound defenseman also played in one game with Bars Kazan in the VHL, Russia’s minor league, tallying a point (0g/1a).

  Zhuravlyov has collected 27 points (5g/22a) in 117 career KHL games and four points (1g/3a) in 16 playoff contests. He set career highs in points (13), goals (3) and assists (10) during the 2020-21 campaign. The Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, native has also skated in 52 VHL contests, all for Bars Kazan, recording eight points (1g/7a) and has played in 67 games in Russia’s junior league, the MHL, tallying 26 points (11g/15a) for Irbis Kazan.

  Internationally, Zhuravlyov represented his country at two IIHF World Junior Championships, notching two points (0g/2a) in seven games to help Russia capture the silver medal in 2020 and tallying a point (0g/1a) in seven contests to help his country earn a bronze medal at the 2019 tournament. He served as an alternate captain for Russia’s team at the 2018 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, leading all team defensemen with five points (0g/5a) in five games.

• THANK YOU to the following people for donating to the Avs Travel Tip Jar within the past 24 hours: Jim Strohmeier, Kenton Murphy, Tony Bila, James Yakel, Stephen Herman and Scott Brower. The Tip Jar is always open (link here) and it makes it easier to cover more stuff on the road. So, thank you.
• Good news for local fans who have Comcast: While Game 1 will be broadcast by Altitude, it will also be broadcast by ESPN. And, Altitude is lifting the blackout on that. So, local fans here who can’t/don’t get Altitude can watch on ESPN. Remember, the game starts at 7:30, not the usual 7 p.m.
• Preds defenseman Roman Josi today, on Cale Makar:

Roman Josi on Makar: "I love watching him play. He's so dynamic"

— Adrian Dater (@adater) May 2, 2022

Filip Forsberg on matchup with Avs: "At the end of the day, it's just hockey". Says Preds are loose going into series with Avs

— Adrian Dater (@adater) May 2, 2022

• Juuse Saros did not practice with Nashville today. He’s got a lower-body injury. David Rittich looks to be the Preds’ starter for Game 1.

Juuse Saros will miss the first two games for Nashville. Then, coach Hynes said, "we'll go from there"

— Adrian Dater (@adater) May 2, 2022