The Calgary Flames are well out of playoff contention and will surely be sellers at the NHL trade deadline. With the Olympic break just days away, trade conversations are heating up. The Flames are looking to sell Nazem Kadri before the NHL trade deadline, and Marco D'Amico of RG.org has the three teams showing interest.
“The Minnesota Wild. The Carolina Hurricanes. The Detroit Red Wings. All three have been flagged as clubs to monitor, each looking to shore up their centre depth and each possessing the futures required to satisfy what will almost certainly be a steep Flames asking price,” D'Amico reported.
Kadri is due $7 million each season through 2028-29 and has a modified no-trade clause. Both of those factors will impact his trade market, but centers are very valuable. With previous playoff experience under his belt, Kadri is one of the more valuable pieces on the market.
The Wild have already made the most significant trade of the season, picking up Quinn Hughes. That will limit them in any trades moving forward, with three prospects and a draft pick headed to Vancouver in that deal. Kirill Kaprizov's contract will make it harder for the Wild to acquire depth in the offseason, so the trade market should be where they look.
The Hurricanes picked up two first-round picks in the Mikko Rantanen trade and already spent one for K'Andre Miller. They should look to send another to the Flames for Kadri to improve their center depth. The biggest need for the Canes is scoring, and Kadri has at least 24 goals in four consecutive seasons coming into this year.
The Red Wings are in second place in the Atlantic Division, looking to snap a nine-year playoff drought. Bringing in Kadri would improve their depth and give Dylan Larkin some support down the middle. They tried to make a Hughes trade, so GM Steve Yzerman is ready to swing a deal.
