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Colorado Avalanche condemn threats directed at Nazem Kadri ahead of Game 4 in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS • The Colorado Avalanche maintained that Nazem Kadri’s contact with Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington was a hockey play, while the response from some in St. Louis has gone beyond the sport.

After Saturday’s game, Kadri said the hit, which will force Binnington to miss the remainder of the series with an undisclosed lower-body injury, was unavoidable after being bumped by Blues defenseman Calle Rosen. Teammate Gabriel Landeskog maintained that position Monday, ahead of Game 4 at Enterprise Center.

“He’s playing hard for us, and this is the playoffs,” Landeskog said. “At the end of the day, it’s a loose puck he’s going for. The fact that this is a conversation is kind of crazy to me.”

The conversation now includes St. Louis police, according to a statement the Avalanche released on Sunday that read: “The Avalanche organization is aware of threats made toward Nazem Kadri and is working with local law enforcement to investigate.” Former NHL player Akim Aliu posted Sunday on Twitter that he had spoken to Kadri, who is a practicing Muslim of Lebanese heritage, about the incoming threats. Aliu and Kadri are both members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance.

“It’s very sad, but at the end of the day, we’re in the public eye. Anything that we do is seen from the outside and can be judged however it wants,” Landeskog said. “Unfortunately, people think they have the freedom to say and do whatever they want, but we always have security, and this is no different.”

Colorado coach Jared Bednar didn’t have much to say on the matter. When asked if there was anything he wanted to say, he responded with “nothing.” When pressed a little more and asked if it was “sad” or “unfortunate,” the Avalanche coach agreed that was the case.

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“Two good words to describe it. It’s unnecessary, really, too,” Bednar said. “That would be my third one.”

The contact on Binnington wasn’t the only physical play that resulted in injury Saturday. Colorado defenseman Samuel Girard broke his sternum on a hit in front of the boards in the opening minutes Saturday. He attended Monday’s morning skate in street clothes.

“He’s a little sore today, but (it’s) good to see him up and about in good spirits and here with the guys, for sure,” Bednar said.

Those plays can have the ability to take one’s mind off the goal at hand, Landeskog acknowledged. It’s something that could be a challenge in Game 4.

“It’s emotional, you know. It’s a good player on your team that goes down and somebody gets hurt,” he said. “You’re trying not to get rattled, but at the same time you are rattled. It takes a lot of willpower to shift your focus and get back to playing hockey. I think that’s what both teams are going to have to do tonight.”

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