Calgary Flames Want To Improve, So Why Trade Nazem Kadri?
Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period appeared on TSN Radio in Montreal on Monday and was asked about the Calgary Flames and the future of Nazem Kadri with the team. Pagnotta believes the Flames are not looking to move him.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “Dave, are you buying any of the, it seems like, I don’t know, maybe it was a slow hockey week and people were just looking for some bait, or call it what you want. But are you buying everything we’re seeing about the Nzem Kadri, maybe being made available by the Calgary Flames?”
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Dave Pagnotta: “Yes and no. Like, look, first of all, Calgary, is there another club that’s looking to improve, right? So if and they’re also another club that’s still looking for a 2C. So now, for them to move out Kadri at that center position, a position they’re trying to improve, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense unless it’s a hockey trade and you’re swapping talent for talent. I think there’s an openness to explore it, but I don’t think there’s any sense of urgency by any stretch right now.
I think Calgary is perfectly comfortable and is planning, barring an overpayment or an offer, they just can’t refuse to start the season with Kadri in the lineup. Again, and he’s got no-trade protection as well. So that’s the other factor into that equation. But there’s also a reason why they haven’t, and they didn’t just move out Rasmus Andersson for future assets or things like that, because they’re also looking to improve.
They were right there in the thick of things in terms of the playoffs this past season. So, they certainly don’t want to regress. They want to enhance their chances. Craig Conroy has been looking for ways of doing that. We’ll kind of see where that all goes as these summer weeks progress.
But I would be a little bit surprised if we see a Kadri trade happen now or over the course of the off-season, especially one that wouldn’t benefit in some fashion the Flames immediately, as much as it would whatever team tries to acquire him.”
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