The Dallas Stars are on a roll as the calendar shifts to the month of December. The final month of 2025 should officially determine which teams are contenders and which are looking forward to the 2026 NHL Draft in June. Dallas, however, is already firmly in the contender camp. And they could further establish themselves as contenders in the months leading into the NHL Trade Deadline.
One potential target for the Stars is Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri. Dallas has an interest in the former Stanley Cup champion, which dates back to the summer. Recently, Daily Faceoff's Jeff Marek explored the fit a bit more, pointing out a specific reason why Dallas is interested in bringing Kadri into the fold.
“There's another team that's been around Kadri for a while now. Last year it couldnt happen so they went out and got (Mikael) Granlund. It's the Dallas Stars. The Dallas Stars have always looked for someone a bit snarlier, that's why they tried to get Mathieu Olivier away from Columbus for as long as they did. Not that I'm comparing Olivier to Nazem Kadri, but you know what I'm going for. They look for some players with some bite,” Marek said.
Kadri is in the midst of his fourth season with the Flames. During his tenure in Calgary, he has scored 93 goals and 219 points in 273 games. However, with the Flames near the bottom of the NHL, Kadri is a prime trade candidate. Especially in a market devoid of clear-cut top-six centers.
The Stars could pair his physicality and scoring ability quite well. A trade for the Flames stat certainly could give Dallas a needed edge when facing other Western Conference contenders. This is certainly a situation to monitor over the next few years.
