‘There’s a dent at the bottom already’: The top quotes from the 2022 Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup celebration

Mike Gould
Mike Gould
‘There’s a dent at the bottom already’: The top quotes from the 2022 Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup celebration
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Avalanche captured the Stanley Cup on Sunday evening, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning by a 2–1 score in Game 6 of the championship series to take it four games to two.

As is typically the case when teams win the Cup, the Avalanche immediately kicked off their celebration at Amalie Arena last night and will likely continue partying in Florida for quite some time.

Here’s a roundup of some of the best moments and quotes from the night of the Avalanche being crowned 2022 Stanley Cup champions.

Nazem Kadri silences his critics

What a year for Nazem Kadri.

The 31-year-old centre scored 87 points in 71 games with the Avalanche during the 2021–22 season, perfectly setting himself up for a massive new contract as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Kadri built on that performance during the playoffs, battling through a broken hand to play 16 of Colorado’s 20 games — and scoring the overtime winner in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

There’s no doubt about it: Kadri was outstanding during the Avs’ Cup run. He was quick to recognize all of his fans and backers in an interview with Sportsnet’s David Amber on the ice at Amalie Arena on Sunday.

“I love you guys, that’s all there is to be said. I mean, I’ve had supporters in my corner from day one, never wavered,” Kadri said. “And for everyone that thought I was a liability in the playoffs, you can kiss my ass.”

You tell ’em, Naz.

Cale the MVP — and the most valuable brother

Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Makar, 23, capped off a banner year in which he scored 115 points in 97 games between the regular season and playoffs. He was previously awarded the 2022 Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

For his post-game press conference on Sunday night, Makar took to the podium alongside his brother, Taylor, also an Avalanche draft pick.

“He’s the hardest-working person I’ve ever known,” Taylor Makar said of his brother. “It’s so funny seeing this. Grow up together, have those sibling fights, battles, playing for fake Stanley Cups in mini sticks. To see him finally be able to lift that, I know he’s always wanted that.”

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog was candid about how other clubs could attempt to replicate his team’s success in an interview with ESPN’s Emily Kaplan during the celebration.

“Find a Cale Makar somewhere.”

Nic Aubé-Kubel dents the Cup

Whoops.

Nic Aubé-Kubel had one job. All he had to do was bring the Stanley Cup — you know, that one — over to all his teammates who were waiting patiently for him so they could all take a picture together.

In his first year with the Avalanche, Aubé-Kubel scored 11 goals and 22 points in 67 games. He’s a solid bottom-six player who logged 14 appearances during the Avs’ Cup run.

But for one fateful moment during Sunday’s celebration, Aubé-Kubel forgot how to skate.

The Colorado Avalanche worked all season long to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup. Thanks to Aubé-Kubel, they’ve made another kind of impression on the trophy …

That’s a solid dent.

Of course, the Stanley Cup has been dented plenty of times before. Way back in 1905, the Ottawa Senators famously tried to kick the Cup across the Rideau Canal.

But according to Keeper of the Cup Phil Pritchard, Aubé-Kubel’s stumble on Sunday marked the first time the Cup has been dented on the ice.

“The Avalanche just won the Cup. I don’t even know if they had it five minutes and there’s a dent at the bottom already,” Pritchard said. “It’s the first time it’s ever happened on the ice.”

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