With or without second-line center Nazem Kadri, the Avalanche will again likely be the Stanley Cup favorite when NHL training camps begin in September.
The reigning champions, who are in the final stages of finalizing another star-studded roster, have thus far retained much more than they lost during free agency. They are poised to again be the powerhouse of the Western Conference. And if they can find the necessary cap money to keep Kadri, the league’s prized unsigned player, there will be absolutely no holes in the lineup.
But defense wins championships. And with the Avs, they arguably have the best group of defensemen in the league. They again won’t have to have Patrick Roy in net to win the Stanley Cup. They can again hoist it with prototype backup goalie Pavel Francouz playing behind newcomer Alexandar Georgiev instead of Darcy Kuemper.
“We feel really good about it,” general manager Chris MacFarland said of the Avs’ stellar defensemen. “They all bring something different and I’d add that Kurtis McDermid is a key part of that … They were really strong in the playoffs. They moved the puck, obviously, Cale and Taser and Bo and G — they have really good puck skill. And Josh has skill as well, and he and EJ bring size and strength and penalty-kill ability.
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