After winning the Pacific Division in 2021-22, it's been back-to-back disappointing seasons for Nazem Kadri and the Calgary Flames. As the team stares down a second consecutive missed playoff in 2024, there have been rumblings that Kadri could get moved this offseason, with NHL insider Rob Ellis pointing to the Buffalo Sabres as a possible landing spot.
“The Sabres are a team on the rise. They possess a stacked young core, but they desperately need to add experienced, playoff-tested talent to the mix. After years of rebuilding, simply stockpiling more draft picks isn’t the answer,” wrote Ellis earlier this week.
“Kadri delivers a winning pedigree, Stanley Cup experience, and offensive production – exactly what the Sabres lack. He would step in perfectly to replace Casey Mittelstadt and provide a veteran presence the Sabres desperately need, both in the locker room and on the ice.”
With the Flames potentially entering a retooling period — that's especially true without Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm or Noah Hanifin on the roster — trading Kadri would almost certainly fetch the front office a first-round pick, which could be crucial down the line.
As Kadri is signed long-term, GM Craig Conroy could probably get a great haul for the Stanley Cup champion. The 33-year-old will make $7 million for five more seasons, and won't be an unrestricted free agent until the summer of 2029. It's also an opportunity for the Flames to shed a big contract and begin securing draft capital that will be critical to success in the future.
“Kadri could be the impact player Buffalo needs to finally break through as playoff contenders, and Calgary gets to improve their draft position and build for the future,” finished Ellis.
But would Kadri be the right fit in Western New York?
Nazem Kadri would add leadership, skill to Sabres
If Kadri were acquired by the Sabres, he would immediately be one of the most skilled players on the roster. He's having a much better second season in Calgary, now up to 26 goals and 68 points through 77 games.
Kadri cashed in after winning the Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, looking like a top 2C throughout the season and playoffs. He finished with a career-high 87 points in just 71 games that season, adding another seven goals and 15 points in 16 Stanley Cup Playoffs contests.
He scored a monumental overtime winner against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, helping the Avs capture the title in six games.
With Stanley Cup experience and a ton of skill, Kadri could provide invaluable leadership to a young core, as well as another offensive weapon. He could slot in at 2C behind Tage Thompson, allowing Dylan Cozens to move to the wing or down to the third-line.
“For the Sabres, the allure of Kadri lies in his wealth of experience and playoff acumen, qualities that could provide invaluable leadership and offensive firepower to complement Buffalo's emerging young talent,” wrote NHL Trade Rumors' James Wilson on Wednesday.
“Such a move signals a strategic shift for the Sabres, who appear poised to fortify their roster in pursuit of playoff contention, something that's eluded them for 12 straight seasons, potentially 13 after this season.”
It will indeed be 13 straight missed playoffs for the Sabres, the longest drought in the entire National Hockey League. As they try to finally break through next year — there hasn't been postseason puck in Western New York since 2011 — could Nazem Kadri be the missing piece this summer?
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