Nazem Kadri was traded at the deadline from the Calgary Flames to the Colorado Avalanche. It was a little bit of a surprise when the trade was announced, as earlier in the day, the Flames' owner blocked the deal, sending Kadri to the Avalanche. Still, a deal was made, and Kadri was off to Colorado.
Now, Kadri has broken his silence on the deal, posting on X, formerly Twitter.
“Thank you flames fans, you guys are real ones. Denver, here we come…” Kadri posted.
The Canadian center was the seventh overall selection of the 2009 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He would break into the NHL for one game in 2009-10, but would become a mainstay on the roster until he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche ahead of the 2019-20 season. He played 178 games in Colorado, plus won a Stanley Cup in 2022 with the team. The former first round would then sign as a free agent with the Flames ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Now, after 307 games with the Flames, he is a member of the Avalanche again and seems thrilled, according to Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now.
“I’m over the moon. I think initially, when something of this magnitude happens, it’s always a little bit sad, because you form such great relationships with the guys in the room,” Kadri said of his stint with the Flames. “But knowing that I’m coming back to Colorado is just a dream come true with the situation they’ve put themselves in, and just me being able to tag along and add. I cannot wait.”
He is expected to make his debut with the team on Sunday when the Avalanche face the Minnesota Wild.
“I have a special bond with the team. I’ve always been watching from afar and checking in to see how all my buddies are doing and how the team’s doing,” Kadri said. “Of course, over the years, I’ve been staying tuned and following the group. So, what a team. What a team. I’m just so thrilled that I get to try to add to that. It’s funny, over the course of my professional career, I’ve only been traded twice, and it’s been to the same team both times. They must really like me.”
Now, Kadri looks to help Colorado win the Cup again. At 42-10-9, the Avalanche have the best record in the NHL and face the Wild at 2 pm ET on Sunday.
