Nathan MacKinnon Puts Avalanche’s Cup or Bust Season Out There

The Colorado Avalanche pulled off a stunning buzzer-beater at the trade deadline when they acquired one of their former stars in Nazem Kadri in a deal with the Calgary Flames.

While rumors were rampant about the veteran's return to Colorado, many assumed that the Flames would choose to keep the one-time Stanley Cup Champion.

But within minutes after the trade deadline, the Avalanche announced that they had indeed brought back Kadri from Calgary. The move reunites him with the teammates with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2022 and gives Colorado even more firepower down the middle.

Nathan MacKinnon addressed the trade and made it abundantly clear what the expectations are for this team. The Avalanche sits first in the NHL with 91 points in 60 games and has been the league's best team all season.

With the addition of Kadri, along with earlier acquisitions of Nicolas Roy, Brett Kulak, and Nick Blankenburg, Colorado is loading up for what they hope will be another championship run. MacKinnon's comments left no doubt about how serious the organization is about winning now.

Pumped to Have Naz Back

MacKinnon expressed genuine excitement about getting Kadri back in an Avalanche uniform, emphasizing what it means for everyone involved.

"Pumped to have Naz back on our team," MacKinnon said, per the Denver Gazette's Evan Rawal. "It's exciting for the fans, this organization, and all of us in this room."

The reunion brings back a key piece from Colorado's 2022 championship team. Kadri had 15 points in 16 playoff games during that Cup run, including seven game-winning goals across the 2020 and 2022 postseasons combined.

MacKinnon was candid about why the Avalanche felt they needed to make this move, pointing to specific deficiencies from last year's playoff disappointment. "We needed a little bit, I think, a little bit more game-breaking scoring punch we might have missed last year in the playoffs," MacKinnon explained.

Nathan MacKinnon on Nazem Kadri's return...

"Pumped to have Naz back on our team. It's exciting for the fans, this organization, all of us in this room. We needed a little bit, I think, a little bit more game-breaking scoring punch we might have missed last year in the…
— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) March 7, 2026

That's a direct acknowledgment that Colorado came up short when it mattered most. Adding Kadri addresses that concern by bringing in a veteran center who's proven he can deliver in big moments.

Cup or Bust Mentality

MacKinnon didn't sugarcoat the stakes or the pressure that comes with the Avalanche going all-in at the deadline.

"Once again, our management is going all-in," MacKinnon said. "Obviously, it's cup or bust for us, but we definitely really appreciate Joe, Cmac, Cogs, and Kevin putting us in a good spot."

The references to Joe Sakic, Chris MacFarland, Greg Sherman and Kevin McDonald show MacKinnon's appreciation for the front office's willingness to mortgage future assets for a championship push. Colorado gave up Victor Olofsson, prospect Max Curran, and conditional first and second-round picks to get Kadri.

The Avalanche now has arguably the best center depth in the NHL with MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, Kadri, and Nicolas Roy down the middle. Calgary retained 20 percent of Kadri's contract, giving Colorado a $5.6 million cap hit for a player who can slot anywhere in the top nine.

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