Flames centre Nazem Kadri had just one response when he was left off the 2025 Team Canada National Teams Orientation Camp roster:
And earlier in the season, he was subject to undeserved trade rumors.
The word "undeserved" doesn't cover even a third of it. The 34-year-old is undoubtedly a locker room leader coming off a goal-scoring record season, and carries the team on his back.
In his three years in Calgary, he has NEVER missed a regular season game. He is 82-for-82 in all three seasons.
And what's more, his shots on goal AND his shooting percentage have gone up by each season.
- 2022-23, SOG=267, S%= 9.0
- 2023-24, SOG=277, S%=10.5
- 2024-25, SOG=279, S%=12.5
He has been part of the most power play face-offs (and wins) in that span for the team and while that has not generated enough goals for Calgary, it does support the fact that he is trusted for crucial goal-scoring moments of the game.
And the former 2009 Draft first-round pick has made no indication that he wants out of Southern Alberta.
In fact, Kadri and seven other current and former NHL players of color founded the Hockey Diversity Alliance (HDA), an organization to promote diversity in hockey AND this is headquartered in Kensington, Calgary.
To be driven further away from the HDA would be a major inconvenience for the 2022 Stanley Cup champion.
So, despite everything he has done, does he have the right to feel like he has something to prove?
Yeah. You bet.