Nazem Kadri told the media on Thursday it was way too early to ask him questions about his future with the Flames.

Nazem Kadri may not be a Calgary Flame when the 2024-25 NHL regular season ends. His name is out there in trade chatter as the organization undergoes a rebuild and he's the kind of player who could be of value to a contender looking for skill and drive to win. 

That doesn't mean he wants questions on the first day of Flames training camp about why he wants to be here or whether he'll remain. 

Kadri was asked by a member of the media about his emphatic statement early in the summer that he wanted to remain with the Flames. Outside of saying he loved the team and city, Kadri added, "I feel like it's super early to be asking these kinds of questions." He then noted, "I'm going to ask you guys to just pump the brakes a little bit, let us go play. We're going to try to rally around each other and surprise some people."

Kadri is aware that talk will linger throughout the season about who else might be traded and who will stay through the transition period. His name is in there, mostly because insiders believe he might not be keen on spending his prime years on a team that is going to lose a lot more than it wins. 

But, his comments suggest he a) doesn't think the team will be as bad as some projects or b) he's not worried about it. He's signed on to be a part of the Flames and he's got five more seasons at a cap hit of $7 million per season on his deal. Even if he were to want out, there's a lot that goes into that kind of a trade. 

Kadri just wants to play and would prefer the media focus on the on-ice product. It might be hard to do considering the status of the team and many of the players on it, but Kadri has made it known he's not interested in adding to the drama.