Each day the sun rises, the cock crows, and half a billion people post their version of the truth to the internet. You could argue with them or maybe with some help you could try to get to know them better. Come along on a journey to better understand the Calgary Flames and one of your fellow human beings.
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Let’s briefly shine the light on X User @204flamesguy… Matt, please consider this your 15 Minutes of Flame.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Kadri for Cozens add whatever you need to add on either side but there you go. Buffalo gets a cup champ center scorer and CGY gets the young RHC they’ve been coveting.
&mdash; matt🔥 (@204flamesguy) <a href="https://twitter.com/204flamesguy/status/1869448741247393895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Before we think about this particular trade proposal let’s discuss the renewed fervour for blockbuster trades in general. Let us lay some of the blame on the Florida Panthers, the Calgary Flames, and the Vegas Golden Knights. The behemoth Huberdeau/Tkachuk trade had it all: swapping older stars for younger ones, the league’s first sign and trade, a fandom worth of hurt feelings, and it fuelled the narrative that teams on the brink could retool without rebuilding. Even the NBA was jealous.
Vegas, in turn, has acquired players without (much) impunity since joining the league and seemingly no marquee player is traded without GM Kelly McCrimmon doing his due diligence. It isn’t that any fan or media member hasn’t salivated for these big trades but the fact of the matter is that in the NHL trades of a certain magnitude are hard to make. Why? It could be the rigidity of player contracts, the power balance between owners and players, or league parity making frequent small moves more popular than transformative, team altering deals.
Okay, I hear you, Matt. “When did I ever say Cozens for Kadri was a blockbuster?” To that, I say, stop interrupting. This isn’t a blockbuster per se but it is symptomatic of that craving for trades that make an immediate difference.
Cozens is trending towards a 40+ point season, and Kadri is only slightly outpacing that. This puts both teams in the awkward position of making a &#8220;change-of-scenery&#8221; trade that also addresses their future. Let’s be positive for a minute and say that this is a move both teams want even though they are altering their franchise trajectory mid-season. Nazem Kadri is 34 years old with half of his 7&#215;7 (seven years at $7 million each year) deal remaining. Dylan Cozens is 23 years old with about three-quarters of his seven year, $7.1 million AAV deal still to be paid out. Both men are past seventh overall picks, a few years removed from 30-goal seasons, and <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/nazem-kadri">only Kadri has any say in the trade negotiations (via a no-move clause)</a>. It’s entirely possible he will take a chance on joining a burgeoning Buffalo squad (a team who has already done their bottoming out this decade) that is full of high-ceiling youth with untapped potential. Kadri is older so maybe Calgary sweetens the deal with a depth defenceman. I am becoming convinced!
So why might this be an unlikely solution for either team’s woes?
Buffalo is a team that wants to take the next step into contention but their season so far hasn’t reflected that mission statement. If you take on an aging asset to take a swing at something… would you like that something to be a fringe playoff berth? It cannot be denied that Kadri’s impact on the Sabres could be significant if he slots directly into Cozens’ spot between J.J. Peterka and Jack Quinn. He has played some of his best hockey for the Flames when he has dynamic youth around him. However, it reduces their chances of a 23 year old prospect becoming a 24 year old franchise player to zero percent, effectively selling that player off at bargain bin value. It increases their chances of a proven commodity like Kadri artificially inflating this year’s standings but then leaving a giant question mark for the following three years of playoff chasing. There is also a human element to be considered: Kadri has continually stated his preference to remain in Calgary and if he was going to move would he be ecstatic to go to an American team that is struggling even more than the one he is already on?
The hometown team has not been quiet about their want for younger players and for centres so there would be a lot of upside to Cozens especially because he is signed long term. However, are the Flames going to attempt to send Kadri to a team he likely does not want to be on while they are also in a playoff hunt? The argument here is not whether the Flames win the trade. Are they going to ship off players they were desperate to have a few short years ago in a similar vein to the Golden Knights? Are they willing to place Rangers-on-Trouba levels of pressure on Kadri just because he isn’t the game breaker he used to be? Remember this is a fan base that publicly went through a “players won’t sign here” reckoning when Tkachuck left. Brad Treliving stood up for the city by getting these deals done, only to leave himself. The wound is still open and it only takes one deal to be labelled as a team that doesn’t take care of its players. It also needs to be said that the current makeup of the team is keeping itself in a playoff spot. What does the message become when you take one of Calgary’s weaknesses, lack of centre depth, and put it into further jeopardy by bringing in an unknown rookie for a veteran who chose to come here? Coach Ryan Huska should only be concerned with the success of the &#8217;24-&#8217;25 Calgary Flames. Is he going to try Cozens with every set of wingers he can pencil together? Absolutely, but his cup runneth over with players who only see success in certain situations and being as Huberdeau has only recently found some chemistry with Kadri he is not just losing one player in the trade; he is losing that player’s ability to work with those around them.
This take has its merits. Calgary should absolutely target Cozens but I have doubts that Buffalo covets Kadri without a lot of sweeteners. If the Flames are flush with depth then try to get something done but if it is going to take some of the youth of this team to get youth from another team then that is counterproductive to the ultimate goal of a rebuild/retool/refresh.
Buffalo probably does want a proven commodity to lead their youth into a new era but at 34 Kadri cannot cost the Sabres their best and brightest and do all the heavy lifting. They need look no further than their potential trade partner to realize that he is a complimentary piece and not the saviour.
Matt, you are an idealist and at the end of the day I respect that very much. If we see Cozens in red then you get the credit.
If you’d like to see someone have their 15 Minutes of Flame you can find me @ fifteenmin-flame.bsky.social or fifteenmin.flame@gmail.com.

Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (91) celebrates his goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Each day the sun rises, the cock crows, and half a billion people post their version of the truth to the internet. You could argue with them or maybe with some help you could try to get to know them better. Come along on a journey to better understand the Calgary Flames and one of your fellow human beings.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2109" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="328"></div>
Let’s briefly shine the light on X User @204flamesguy… Matt, please consider this your 15 Minutes of Flame.

https://twitter.com/204flamesguy/status/1869448741247393895

Before we think about this particular trade proposal let’s discuss the renewed fervour for blockbuster trades in general. Let us lay some of the blame on the Florida Panthers, the Calgary Flames, and the Vegas Golden Knights. The behemoth Huberdeau/Tkachuk trade had it all: swapping older stars for younger ones, the league’s first sign and trade, a fandom worth of hurt feelings, and it fuelled the narrative that teams on the brink could retool without rebuilding. Even the NBA was jealous.

Vegas, in turn, has acquired players without (much) impunity since joining the league and seemingly no marquee player is traded without GM Kelly McCrimmon doing his due diligence. It isn’t that any fan or media member hasn’t salivated for these big trades but the fact of the matter is that in the NHL trades of a certain magnitude are hard to make. Why? It could be the rigidity of player contracts, the power balance between owners and players, or league parity making frequent small moves more popular than transformative, team altering deals.

Okay, I hear you, Matt. “When did I ever say Cozens for Kadri was a blockbuster?” To that, I say, stop interrupting. This isn’t a blockbuster per se but it is symptomatic of that craving for trades that make an immediate difference.

Cozens is trending towards a 40+ point season, and Kadri is only slightly outpacing that. This puts both teams in the awkward position of making a "change-of-scenery" trade that also addresses their future. Let’s be positive for a minute and say that this is a move both teams want even though they are altering their franchise trajectory mid-season. Nazem Kadri is 34 years old with half of his 7x7 (seven years at $7 million each year) deal remaining. Dylan Cozens is 23 years old with about three-quarters of his seven year, $7.1 million AAV deal still to be paid out. Both men are past seventh overall picks, a few years removed from 30-goal seasons, and <a href="https://puckpedia.com/player/nazem-kadri">only Kadri has any say in the trade negotiations (via a no-move clause)</a>. It’s entirely possible he will take a chance on joining a burgeoning Buffalo squad (a team who has already done their bottoming out this decade) that is full of high-ceiling youth with untapped potential. Kadri is older so maybe Calgary sweetens the deal with a depth defenceman. I am becoming convinced!

So why might this be an unlikely solution for either team’s woes?

Buffalo is a team that wants to take the next step into contention but their season so far hasn’t reflected that mission statement. If you take on an aging asset to take a swing at something… would you like that something to be a fringe playoff berth? It cannot be denied that Kadri’s impact on the Sabres could be significant if he slots directly into Cozens’ spot between J.J. Peterka and Jack Quinn. He has played some of his best hockey for the Flames when he has dynamic youth around him. However, it reduces their chances of a 23 year old prospect becoming a 24 year old franchise player to zero percent, effectively selling that player off at bargain bin value. It increases their chances of a proven commodity like Kadri artificially inflating this year’s standings but then leaving a giant question mark for the following three years of playoff chasing. There is also a human element to be considered: Kadri has continually stated his preference to remain in Calgary and if he was going to move would he be ecstatic to go to an American team that is struggling even more than the one he is already on?

The hometown team has not been quiet about their want for younger players and for centres so there would be a lot of upside to Cozens especially because he is signed long term. However, are the Flames going to attempt to send Kadri to a team he likely does not want to be on while they are also in a playoff hunt? The argument here is not whether the Flames win the trade. Are they going to ship off players they were desperate to have a few short years ago in a similar vein to the Golden Knights? Are they willing to place Rangers-on-Trouba levels of pressure on Kadri just because he isn’t the game breaker he used to be? Remember this is a fan base that publicly went through a “players won’t sign here” reckoning when Tkachuck left. Brad Treliving stood up for the city by getting these deals done, only to leave himself. The wound is still open and it only takes one deal to be labelled as a team that doesn’t take care of its players. It also needs to be said that the current makeup of the team is keeping itself in a playoff spot. What does the message become when you take one of Calgary’s weaknesses, lack of centre depth, and put it into further jeopardy by bringing in an unknown rookie for a veteran who chose to come here? Coach Ryan Huska should only be concerned with the success of the '24-'25 Calgary Flames. Is he going to try Cozens with every set of wingers he can pencil together? Absolutely, but his cup runneth over with players who only see success in certain situations and being as Huberdeau has only recently found some chemistry with Kadri he is not just losing one player in the trade; he is losing that player’s ability to work with those around them.

This take has its merits. Calgary should absolutely target Cozens but I have doubts that Buffalo covets Kadri without a lot of sweeteners. If the Flames are flush with depth then try to get something done but if it is going to take some of the youth of this team to get youth from another team then that is counterproductive to the ultimate goal of a rebuild/retool/refresh.

Buffalo probably does want a proven commodity to lead their youth into a new era but at 34 Kadri cannot cost the Sabres their best and brightest and do all the heavy lifting. They need look no further than their potential trade partner to realize that he is a complimentary piece and not the saviour.

Matt, you are an idealist and at the end of the day I respect that very much. If we see Cozens in red then you get the credit.

If you’d like to see someone have their 15 Minutes of Flame you can find me @ fifteenmin-flame.bsky.social or fifteenmin.flame@gmail.com.

15 Minutes of Flame: Exploring a potential Cozens for Kadri trade

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