Despite trading Rasmus Andersson, the Calgary Flames have two of the most valuable trade pieces in Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman. The former is coming off a very impressive 35-goal campaign, and though his production has dipped this season, he remains a top target for contenders at this year’s trade deadline.
The narrative around a potential Kadri trade has taken a turn in the past few weeks. The Flames were reportedly content with keeping Kadri, and he was happy to stay up until very recently. Now, there are reports that Kadri is willing to be traded and has informed the Flames of this decision.
A leading contender in the Nazem Kadri sweepstakes
There are a ton of teams that make sense as trading partners for a Kadri deal, and perhaps the most intriguing one is the Montreal Canadiens. Kadri has been linked to the Canadiens countless times over the past 12–18 months, but the common response from reporters on this connection has been that Montreal is likely on Kadri’s no-trade list.
Kadri’s contract includes a 13-team no-trade list. This limits the Flames’ ability to trade him to the teams he has specified through that clause, but it doesn’t make it impossible if Kadri is willing to waive.
The assumption was that the Flames would only be able to engage in a trade with Montreal if this occurred, until recently.
Marco D’Amico, a Montreal-based journalist, reported that he has received confirmation that Montreal is NOT on Kadri’s no-trade list.
The fit between Kadri and the Montreal Canadiens
This could be the perfect fit. It really didn’t make sense that Montreal was rumoured to be on Kadri’s no-trade list in the first place. It’s the team he grew up cheering for, and it’s a team very much on the rise in an Eastern Conference they could legitimately win this season.
Montreal has reportedly been looking for a top-six centre for some time, and adding Kadri’s experience, leadership, production, and work ethic would be a fantastic addition.
Calgary would also be interested in a lot of the assets Montreal could part with. There isn’t a player like Kadri available for trade this season, and whoever gets him will instantly boost their Stanley Cup odds.
The Canadiens have these assets that would be of interest to the Flames:
- First, second, and third round picks in all of the next three seasons
- Michael Hage, 2024 first-round pick, centre playing for the University of Michigan in the NCAA
- Alexander Zharkovsky, 2025 second-round pick, forward playing in the KHL
Kadri and Montreal make sense from a roster perspective, and from an assets perspective. Keep this potential deal in mind as the trade deadline approaches.
