The Colorado Avalanche say they are working with police ... after one of their star players, Nazem Kadri, allegedly received racist messages and threats following a controversial play on the ice this weekend.
Kadri was involved in a collision with St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington in Game 3 of their playoff series on Saturday.
The on-ice clash ended up injuring Binnington and will force the goalie to miss the rest of the series against the Avs.
A short time after the play, hockey player Akim Aliu -- who's a part of the Hockey Diversity Alliance with Kadri -- claimed the Colorado center, who's Muslim, told him he had been the subject of "so many racist attacks and threats since last night."
Talked to @43_kadri
— Akim Aliu (@Dreamer_Aliu78) May 22, 2022
About his inadvertent collision w Binnington. Naz has been subject to so many racist attacks and threats since last night that police had to be brought in. Racist attacks like this have no place in hockey and should be investigated and reported on.
Aliu claimed the threats were so bad, police were involved ... and in a statement on Sunday, the Avs confirmed they have been in contact with cops over it all.
"The Avalanche organization is aware of threats made toward Nazem Kadri and is working with local law enforcement to investigate," the team said.
Aliu added, "Racist attacks like this have no place in hockey and should be investigated and reported on."
Kadri had said after the game there was no intent to hurt Binnington, claiming "their defenseman kind of collided with me and pushed me into him. So, had that not been the case, I don't think I would have hit him at all."
"Not sure if he just threw a water bottle at me" 😳
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 22, 2022
Nazem Kadri appears to have a water bottle thrown at him while discussing the collision with Binnington 🔎 pic.twitter.com/6XLbAdxEEm
Kadri added that he believed Binnington threw a water bottle at him while he was doing a postgame interview.
The NHL has not handed down punishment for any player involved in the play.
The two teams will face off again on Monday night in St. Louis.