The Calgary Flames are certainly a team to keep an eye on as we continue to inch closer to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. At the time of this writing, they have an 18-22-4 record and are seventh in the Pacific Division. They have also been trending in the wrong direction lately, losing each of their last four games.
Due to the Flames’ struggles, one player who has often come up in the rumor mill this season is forward Nazem Kadri. There is no question that the veteran center would be a major pickup for a playoff club looking to improve down the middle. As a result, if the Flames make him available near the deadline, he would likely have a good amount of suitors.
Now, based on a new report, Kadri isn’t against the possibility of being traded by the Flames.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Kadri would be open to being traded to a contender if an opportunity presented itself. Dreger also said that the “intensity around Kadri is definitely heating up.”
Hearing that Kadri is open to the idea of being traded to a top club is entirely understandable. As a rebuilding club, the Flames are still likely a few years away from becoming a real threat in the Western Conference. With Kadri being 35 years old, he only has so much time left to go for his second Stanley Cup, as Dreger also noted. Thus, a change of scenery could make sense for Kadri at this point.
Kadri Should Generate A Lot Of Interest
Teams looking for a top-six center should certainly have Kadri on their radar, as he is still quite impactful at this stage of his career. In 44 games so far this season with the Flames, the 2009 seventh-overall pick has posted eight goals, 24 assists, and 32 points. This is after he scored a career-high 35 goals and recorded 67 points in 82 games this past season for Calgary.
Yet, it is important to note that any potential suitors would need to be okay with the fact that Kadri would be more than a rental if acquired. This is because the veteran center has a $7 million cap hit until the end of the 2028-29 season.
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