Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri has reportedly undergone surgery on his injured thumb and is unlikely to be available for the remainder of the playoffs.
Kadri suffered the injury when he was hit from behind by Oilers forward Evander Kane in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. While the team has yet to officially rule Kadri out for the playoffs, the odds of him suiting up for any more games this summer appear low.
As a result of the hit, Kane was suspended for 1 game and will miss Game 4 on Monday evening.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety released the following statement regarding the hit: “As they approach the corner, Kadri moves in front of Kane in order to establish body position between Kane and the puck. In response, and before either player can touch the puck, Kane raises his stick and delivers a shove to the back of Kadri, driving him into the boards with force and causing an injury. This is boarding,” said the NHL’s department of player safety in a video.
“It is important to note that this is not a scenario in which Kadri puts himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to the hit in a way that turns a legal check into an illegal one.”
“While we acknowledge that Kadri positions himself in front of Kane in order to shield the puck, this action is not a sudden or sharp movement that changes the nature of Kane’s hit in a way that he cannot control. And while we acknowledge Kane’s argument that Kadri loses his footing as he approaches the boards, we believe that this is a direct result of the shove and is not an unavoidable occurrence that causes an unfortunate accident.”
Kadri was having a breakout postseason, scoring 14 pts (6G, 8A) in 13 games thus far. The Avalanche can close out their series with Edmonton on Monday night with a victory.
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