The biggest conversations about the Calgary Flames this summer continue to be centred around Rasmus Andersson. The 28-year-old defenceman is expected to be traded at some point. However, he may not be the only one heading out the door.
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Speculation has also surrounded the future of Nazem Kadri. While the 34-year-old seems content in Calgary and the organization is more than happy with him, the Flames would get a great return for the savvy veteran. His contract may not be ideal, with four seasons remaining at a cap hit of $7 million, but it is manageable. Teams in a contending window can make that deal work, and here are four that would benefit greatly from adding him.
Toronto Maple Leafs
While there has been a lot of speculation regarding Kadri this offseason, most of it has focused on a return to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kadri began his career in Toronto, and there’s a legitimate argument that they could have won a Stanley Cup had they kept him around.
The Maple Leafs have been unable to replace Kadri since he was traded after the 2018-19 season, and following the departure of Mitch Marner this summer, they now have the cap space to bring him back. Whether the Flames are interested in dealing with their former general manager (GM), Brad Treliving, remains to be seen, but Kadri would undeniably be a great fit on the Maple Leafs roster. Of course, the Flames would be gunning for Easton Cowan to make a deal work, but would the Maple Leafs be willing to part with their top prospect? That remains to be seen.
Montreal Canadiens
With much less speculation than the Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens have also been mentioned as a landing spot for Kadri. The team is on the up and up thanks to some great young talent that got them into the playoffs last season. However, the Canadiens’ centre depth behind Nick Suzuki is lacking, making Kadri a great target. It’s also possible the Flames would be interested in Kirby Dach, who has been injured often early in his career, but at 24 years old, he still has all the tools to be a top-six centreman.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes haven’t generated any buzz linking them to Kadri, but they would be a perfect fit. Year after year, the team has established itself as a Stanley Cup contender, but has lacked the star power and determination to get them over the finish line.
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Kadri would provide a ton for them, especially as a Stanley Cup champion. The Hurricanes, who landed Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency this summer, have over $10 million in cap space, giving them more than enough room to add Kadri. He could easily slot in on their second line behind Sebastian Aho and bump Seth Jarvis to the wing. As for a return, the Flames would love to get their hands on a prospect like Bradly Nadeau or Nikita Artamonov.
New Jersey Devils
Then there is the New Jersey Devils. The team has a lot of talent, but they have too many holes to be considered a true Stanley Cup contender at this point. Adding Kadri would change that.
The Devils have both Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier slotted in as centres on their top two lines, meaning they could either bring in Kadri as a winger or have him slot in as their third-line centre. Either way, he would provide a huge boost to a team that has over $6 million in cap space to work with. The Flames would target Dawson Mercer in return; he has been inconsistent the past few seasons, but still has lots of potential and would offer them a young option down the middle.
Flames May Want to Move Kadri While They Can
Though reports have suggested that the Flames have little desire to move Kadri, that could all change should they receive an offer that interests them. They should at least consider moving him, as his game could begin to fall off, given his age. Receiving a large package in return for Kadri might be in their best interest to help the future of the organization.
