Nazem Kadri is the topic of plenty of trade speculation, but Elliotte Friedman stated that the Calgary Flames won't trade him before he hits the 1,000-game mark.
As it stands, the Calgary Flames are in last place in the NHL. Usually, that indicates that the team is going through, or in the middle of a rebuild.
Typically, with rebuilding teams, they trade away their veteran players who draw interest from other clubs around the league. Players like Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri would fit the bill as great trade candidates for several teams.
According to Elliotte Friedman on ‘Saturday Headlines,’ there is “zero chance” a Kadri trade formulates until he reaches the 1,000-game milestone.
“It’s obviously a huge deal to him, his family and the Flames, and nothing will happen until that 1,000th game is played,” Friedman said on Sportsnet’s broadcast.
While it seems that there is a firm commitment between Kadri and the Flames to see out the 1,000-game plateau, that doesn’t mean a trade couldn’t happen as early as November.
Kadri is projected to play in game No. 995 on Sunday evening against the New York Rangers. After that, there are just five games left until he hits 1,000.
In fact, if he remains healthy and avoids any other situations that force him off the ice, Kadri would play game No. 1,000 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at home on Nov. 5.
Of course, Flames GM Craig Conroy and the rest of the organization can handle this any way they want to. But, if the fine print says that Kadri must play game No. 1,000 as a Flame before he gets traded, the truth is that’s not far into the future.
Furthermore, the veteran center had a no-move clause on his contract until it transitioned into a 13-team no-trade list for this season and for the remaining three years of his contract after this campaign.
Teams around the league are itching for top-six centers, and the 35-year-old Kadri certainly is that.
So far this season, Kadri has recorded one goal and five points in nine games. Last season, he scored a career-high 35 goals at age 34, as well as 32 helpers for 67 points.
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