A move coming for the Flames? This could be a major one, details below:
The NHL offseason stretches on and veteran forward Nazem Kadri finds himself, once again, in ongoing trade rumours. It heated up at the beginning of the month when The Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan reported that Kadri would be willing to waive his no-move clause specifically for a deal back to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“An NHL source said on Wednesday, however, that Kadri would not let his no-move clause stand in the way of agreeing to a trade to Toronto. At the same time, it was stressed to us that Kadri enjoys playing in Calgary and is not looking to be moved.”
Kadri was recently a guest on the “Knight Shift” podcast and called the buzz bizarre, adding that he and his family were happy in Calgary. But he is aware of the rumours and knows it is all part of the business in the NHL.
“I mean, there’s not a whole lot in terms of sports going on right now,” he said. “I think it’s definitely a topic to talk about. And hey, why not talk about it?”
With that said, some took Kadri’s comment as a suggestion that he’d be willing to waive his no-movement clause to get traded to Toronto, and not long after, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos claimed Kadri would waive his no-movement clause for the Maple Leafs, but also for the Montreal Canadiens. Kadri has four years remaining on his contract, makes $7 million against the salary cap, and has a full no-movement clause through 2025-26.
“Several teams are looking for a scoring centremen, a premium position that dried up quickly in free agency.” explained Kypreos. ” Given how thin the market is for centres and how well he played last season, Nazem Kadri’s stock has never been higher if Flames general manager Craig Conroy chooses to pull the trigger. ”
Adding:“Two teams that Kadri continues to be linked to that he appears willing to lift his no-move clause for are the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.”
Since his departure from Toronto in 2019, Kadri has matured into a dependable top-six center, which is exactly what the Canadiens are looking to add to their roster. His 246 games with Calgary have netted him 198 points, including a career-high 35 goals last season. He also gained the best playoff experience, ending uo with a Stanley Cup ring on his finger after a championship triumph in 2022 with the Colorado Avalanche.
A deal would not come easy. Calgary has no reason to offload its top scorer for a small cost, and GM Craig Conroy would expect a meaningful return. Jeff Marek provided an update on the rumours on Wednesday, saying:
“I would imagine for the right price Conroy would certainly listen” as he added that if presented the right opportunity, Kadri would be interested in moving.
After next season, Kadri will have a modified no-trade clause for the final three years of his contract. But a trade could take place before then… perhaps sooner rather than later.
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