Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri have immoveable contracts but are anchoring a younger Flames group in uncertain times

Untradeable. Maybe. But while nobody is expecting the Calgary Flames to receive offers asking them to part with big money men Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau, the pair of veterans have been earning their hefty salaries in 2024.

Acquired and accordingly paid by a Calgary Flames management team looking to go all-in for the playoffs ahead of the 2022-23 season, things have changed significantly.

Nikita Zadorov was the first to go. Followed by Elias Lindholm as the Vancouver Canucks took scooped up a pair of the Calgary Flames’ handful of noteworthy impending unrestricted free agents ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

Barring last-minute signings, defencemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev are next.

Oliver Kylington’s intentions are to sign up for more, but in his place the rumours have been frequent around goaltender Jacob Markstrom, too - although that isn’t urgent with another two seasons of term on the starter’s current $6-million contract.

Given the shift into a forced re-tooling, re-loading or whatever version of a not-quite-scorched earth rebuild, the presence of Kadri and Huberdeau is and will be a curious storyline to follow both in the next couple of weeks and months beyond the trade deadline.

They’ve been good in Year 2 with the Flames and even more so in the first couple of months of 2024.

Kadri has scored 11 times and added 14 helpers for 25 points in his last 22 games - and four of the goals and six of the points have come during this current three-game win streak.

That included an exciting 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. 

The 33-year-old in the second season of a seven-year deal worth $7M annually has been one of the team’s most consistent players all year. Kadri leads the team with 30 assists and 51 points so far.

Huberdeau is nearly a point-per-game guy since the calendar flipped. He has a handful of goals, 15 assists and 20 points in 21 games through January and February.

His $10.5M AAV deal through 2031 arguably makes him an impossible asset to move. But he and Kadri - when at the top of their game - are important pieces in Calgary regardless of the goal.

The team needs to ensure it doesn’t let losing become acceptable. Huberdeau and Kadri are ultimate competitors despite some of the knocks on the former’s backcheck.

As things stand now, the team is still hanging around in the Pacific Division wildcard race.

With big moves to come, that may not be the case come April - but with Kadri and Huberdeau as fixtures, at least there is something to build around.