Nazem Kadri is a key offensive driver on a low-scoring Calgary Flames squad, making him a vital asset to the current group. However, the conversation surrounding Kadri and his potential departure from the team goes far beyond his on-ice contributions this season.
Kadri is under contract for four more seasons after this one, on a deal that carries a substantial $7 million AAV. Though cap room is not a current issue in Calgary, staying under the cap will become increasingly difficult considering the Flames’ multitude of restricted free agents in the coming years.
Up-and-comers Matt Coronato, Connor Zary, Morgan Frost and Kevin Bahl headline the extensive list of young players looking to cash in this off-season. Not to mention Dustin Wolf, who becomes an RFA the following year, and a healthy stable of young talent who will all need contracts before Kadri’s is off the books.
Cap space will quickly become a scarce asset as the Flames’ young nucleus grows, and Kadri’s heavy AAV will only weigh this team down for years to come. “Nazem The Dream” will be 38 when his deal expires in 2029, and as his play declines over the latter half of the contract, his $7 million AAV will remain the same. Father Time will make it exponentially difficult to trade the veteran centreman, with every year that passes.
Despite taking a step back in production relative to last year, Kadri has still played well in 2024-25, well enough that the Flames could potentially move him without having to retain much of his salary.
With the sun setting on the current NHL trading period, and still no rumblings of a Kadri deal, it’s likely that the London, Ontario native remains a Flame past this year’s deadline. Regardless of when or if he’s dealt, let’s explore some potential trade destinations for the flashy centreman.
Colorado Avalanche – The pitch here is pretty simple, Kadri was the guy who put them over the top in 2022 when they claimed hockey’s greatest prize. Back then, he was slotted on the second line between Valeri Nichushkin and Mikko Rantanen. Nearly three years later, the Avalanche have still yet to find a suitable replacement for Kadri in that 2C spot. They currently employ Casey Mittelstadt as their second-line centre, but he would be better suited for a third-line role on a serious contender.
Pulling the trigger on a Kadri deal would bolster an already potent forward group in Colorado. Although he’s no longer the 87-point player he was in his final year with the Avalanche, he’s proven that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank at age 34. Kadri would be an upgrade over a young Mittelstadt, who’d likely benefit from being relegated to a more sheltered role.
Colorado’s depleted pick and prospect pools present a roadblock in this hypothetical trade scenario, but they still possess the means to pull it off. They don’t own a first-round pick this year but still have one in 2026 and 2027, additionally, centreman Calum Ritchie and defenceman Mikhail Gulyayev are both intriguing prospects.
New Jersey Devils – Though they weren’t a suitor just a matter of days ago, the recent news of star centreman Jack Hughes being out for the remainder of the season puts the Devils in the market for Kadri, at least this season. New Jersey has made it clear with their actions that they’re in win-now mode, but with the subtraction of Hughes, they are incredibly thin down the middle.
Like Colorado, their 2C role is being filled by a young and unqualified player in Dawson Mercer. Kadri would slot in nicely on their second line, replenishing some of the offensive punch that Hughes provided, and allowing Mercer to go back to 3C duties.
New Jersey would only be willing to make this trade in-season but they wouldn’t have to perform any ‘cap gymnastics’ to fit Kadri, with Hughes’ $8 million AAV coming off the books via LTIR. The Devils sent their 2025 first-round pick to Calgary in the Jacob Markstrom deal last summer, but they still own two seconds this year along with their firsts in 2026 and 2027. Though the Devils don’t have any top-end forward prospects, they do own the rights to some interesting young blueliners such as Anton Silayev and Simon Nemec, enough to whet the appetite of general manager Craig Conroy.
Toronto Maple Leafs – It’s been rumoured that the Leafs are in the market for a centre, and one look at their depth chart would back those claims. Beyond Auston Matthews, only John Tavares stands out as a viable top-nine centreman. A reunion between Kadri and Toronto would solidify the Leafs down the middle and may even be enough to get them over the hump.
Toronto is up against the cap with a little under a million dollars to spend, which makes an in-season Kadri deal impossible without the Flames or a third-party team retaining a large portion of his deal. Even with the retained dollars, the Leafs would still need to move money around to make it work, so much so that even cap guru Brandon Pridham would have a tough time pulling this off.
If Kadri is to make his way back to Toronto it will likely be in the summer, but if we know Brad Treliving as well as we think we do, he’ll be in on Kadri along with everyone else at the deadline.
Toronto is an ideal suitor as they have multiple high-end centre prospects that the Flames currently covet. Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten are both players that Calgary would be ecstatic to add to their pool of prospects, which is currently laden with defencemen. Like the Avalanche and Devils, the Leafs do not own their 2025 first but still have their firsts in each of the following two years.
Get ready, hockey fans! The Daily Faceoff Deadline is happening on March 7th from 11 AM to 4 PM Eastern, and you won’t want to miss it. We’ll be LIVE, breaking down every trade and big move as it happens, with instant reactions and expert analysis from the Daily Faceoff crew. Plus, we’ve got special guests lined up throughout the show, offering exclusive insights from some of the biggest names in the game. From blockbuster trades to surprise moves, we’re covering it all. Tune in to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow Daily Faceoff socials on March 7th to catch all the action!
