Don’t Expect Nazem Kadri to Be Traded
Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com, Full Press Hockey, and RG Media joined TSN Radio in Montreal on Wednesday and was asked about Nazem Kadri, the fit for the Montreal Canadiens, and the potential of the Calgary Flames trading him.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “Jim, Simon has been clamoring for Nazem Kadri to be traded to the Montreal Canadiens. This is what he wants. It doesn’t sound like the Calgary Flames are going to be dealing Nazem Kadri. But what do you think about that potential fit? And you have some teams that maybe you can see Nazem Kadri wanted to go to right now.”
Do Any of the Trade Destinations for Nazem Kadri Make Sense?
Jim Biringer: “I mean, do I see there’s a fit? Yes, I think it’s a good fit for the Montreal Canadiens. Do I think it’s going to happen? No, because Calgary had 96 points last year. They got as many points as you could without getting into the playoffs. They want to continue to improve, and I don’t think, unless it’s an offer that they can’t refuse, Craig Conroy and the Calgary Flames, he’s not trading Nazem Kadri.
They want to continue to improve. They want to get to the playoffs, and again, you’re going to lose your number one center and try to find another center. Now you got to try to find two centers. I think that’s something Calgary is not interested in.
I think what’s intriguing to me is teams like Montreal, but like Carolina, you go look at Carolina, they need a second-line center. And I know Detroit’s been mentioned, and New Jersey has been mentioned, and a reunion with Colorado and Toronto have been mentioned. But again, if Colorado had the cap space, they probably would have been able to keep Kadri, but they couldn’t. And now they signed Brock Nelson. So I really don’t, unless Nelson is going north, I really don’t see that happening.
New Jersey is interesting too, because of they need center depth, but again, unless Jack Hughes moves to the wing, you’re not paying a guy $7 million to be your third-line center. So, and then that brings me to the Carolina point, which is, they have guys that have no-movement clauses on their team. But they have players that don’t have any trade protection, that could be a place where, okay, Eric Tulsky says a potential for Nazem Kadri to go.
NHL Rumors: Don’t Expect the Calgary Flames to Trade Nazem Kadri
Look as much as he would benefit Montreal, the pieces they would have to give up would hurt their rebuild and their expectations for this season. And now we’re moving a little backwards here with that core, that team that we talked about earlier. I don’t see him going anywhere right now, because the Calgary Flames want to make the playoffs, but down the line, if they don’t, I could see him moving.”
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Rumor roundups and hot topics from around the league. We’re also posting some stuff on Instagram.