"I feel like I'm having a great summer so far and I'm feeling really the best I ever have working for redemption next season," he said Tuesday. "I feel strong, I feel great and I strongly believe that my best years are yet to come. I think Colorado's a nice step for me."
The 28-year-old forward was acquired with defenseman Calle Rosen and a third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft for defenseman
Tyson Barrie
, forward
Alexander Kerfoot
and a sixth-round pick in the 2020 draft.
RELATED: [Kadri traded to Avalanche | 2019-20 NHL trade tracker]
Kadri, who was Toronto's No. 3 center behind John Tavares and Auston Matthews, likely will be Colorado's second-line center this season and is expected to take some of the burden off the high-scoring line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.
"I'm ready for it," Kadri said. "That's a good thing about Toronto, prepping you (for being) under that pressure, being under the microscope. It's hard to perform there sometimes because of the scrutiny and the pressure that you face, how everyone seems to be watching you. That's one thing that I'm fortunate that the city gave me, just to be able to adapt and control those pressure situations."
Kadri is looking to rebound after a down offensive season. He scored 16 goals after he scored 32 each of the two previous seasons, and his 44 points were his fewest since he had 39 in 2014-15.
"I think everyone knows what I'm capable of," Kadri said. "Hitting the 30-goal mark back-to-back times is pretty tough to do in the NHL, and I certainly have that potential."
