Mikko Rantanen continues to dominate the Stanley Cup Playoffs—and every goal he scores echoes loudly in Colorado. Now, NHL star Nazem Kadri, a former Avalanche player himself, has taken to social media to take a major shot at Joe Sakic and the Colorado front office.
There’s never been any doubt about Rantanen’s abilities. He’s been one of the NHL’s top players for years. But with his contract expiring this summer, the Colorado Avalanche weren’t willing to pay him what he wanted—making him one of the highest-paid players in the league. Instead, they traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes, hoping at least to avoid facing him in the playoffs.
But in an unexpected twist, the Hurricanes then flipped the Finnish superstar to the Dallas Stars—and in the first round of the playoffs, it turned into the Mikko Rantanen redemption tour.
Nazem Kadri fires shot at Colorado
Since a slow start, he’s caught fire, racking up 17(!) points since Game 5, including nine goals and two hat tricks. He singlehandedly decided Game 7 against Colorado with three third-period goals. And after being held pointless in Game 2 against Winnipeg, he bounced back in Sunday night’s Game 3, scoring once and adding two assists.
Rantanen now leads the playoffs with 18 points—two more than Connor McDavid. And on Sunday, during Game 3 of the second-round series between the Stars and Jets, Kadri made his feelings known. On X, he took a pointed shot at Sakic and the Avalanche brass.
“Rule number one: You always keep the dawgs … #96,” Kadri wrote.
After Colorado’s Stanley Cup win in 2022, they let Kadri walk in free agency—and it seems he hasn’t forgotten. While the Avalanche would’ve faced cap trouble if they’d tried to keep Rantanen, the star winger is proving this postseason that he’s worth every penny.
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