The London, Ontario native spent his first eight NHL seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and has friends and supporters in the city.
Nazem Kadri has yet to have his day with the Stanley Cup. But when that takes place, the newly signed Calgary Flames player plans on having it make a stop in Toronto.
"I've done a lot of growing up in that city as well and there have been lots of supporters of mine there," Kadri said when speaking to reporters on Friday while vacationing in France.
Kadri signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Flames on Thursday and won his first Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in June. The London, Ontario native didn't reveal too many details about his day with the Cup, but said he hopes to have the celebration split between his hometown and the city where he began his NHL career..
Selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round (seventh overall) in the 2009 NHL Draft, Kadri spent 10 years with the organization where he scored 161 goals and had 357 points in 561 regular season games. On July 1, 2019, the forward was traded to the Colorado Avalanche as part of a package that brought forward Alexander Kerfoot and defenseman Tyson Barrie to Toronto in return.
In his last two postseason appearances with the Maple Leafs, the forward found himself suspended for different infractions on the ice.
In 2021, Kadri was suspended in the postseason for a third time (eight games) for an illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk.
Following his first Stanley Cup win this past June, Kadri had some choice words for his critics when interviewed on the ice by Hockey Night in Canada.
"Everyone that thought I was a liability in the playoffs can kiss my ass," he said as he laughed and skated away.
Kadri begins a new chapter with the Flames, who are seen as a contender to win the Pacific Division once again. He's expected to pick up some of the peskier parts of the game that the club lost when Matthew Tkachuk informed the club he would not sign an extension and was subsequently traded to the Florida Panthers.
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