The most coveted unrestricted free agent has chosen the Calgary Flames after over a month-long wait.

After a long wait, Nazem Kadri has locked in on the Calgary Flames landing a new home.

The Flames confirmed reports earlier today that the former Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche forward signed a seven-year, $49 million contract on Thursday.

The news was first broken by Sportsnet hockey insider Elliotte Friedman and ESPN insider Kevin Weekes. TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger was the first to report the length of Kadri's new deal, while Friedman was the first to confirm the dollar amount.

The 31-year-old Kadri is coming off a career season with the Avalanche, including his first Stanley Cup victory. The center had career-highs in assists (59) and points (87) and had seven goals and 15 points in 16 playoff games this year.

Kadri became a free agent on July 13 and was projected by many analysts to be the top player available. But the process dragged on and included reports that he may have had some sort of arrangement done with the New York Islanders. 

That proved not to be the case.

Kadri spent his first 10 seasons in the NHL with the Maple Leafs where he amassed 161 goals and 357 points in 561 games. At one point, the Leafs came to Kadri with a proposed trade to the Flames, but he refused to waive his no-trade clause, insisting it was because he wanted to stay in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs ultimately dealt Kadri on July 1, 2019, in a deal that saw Alexander Kerfoot and Tyson Barrie come back to Toronto.

"So what happened is they had a deal in place and they wanted me to move my no-trade clause," Kadri told Sportsnet's 31 Thoughts Podcast on July 11 2019. "But you know, obviously, for me, it was no disrespect to Calgary or the Flames organization. I love their team and I love the direction they're headed. I just figured that had I declined, I would have had a better opportunity of being a Maple Leaf next year and that's really what it came down to. I wanted to play for the Leafs next year. I wanted to be a part of that. In declining that trade I had aspirations of being a Leaf and we know clearly that didn't happen."

To make room for Kadri, the Flames traded forward Sean Monahan and a conditional first round pick in 2025 to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for future considerations. 

News of that trade was first reported by Weekes, with Montreal as the destination first reported by Friedman.

Monahan is in the final year of a seven-year deal that carries a salary cap hit of $6.375 million. The 27-year-old had eight goals and 23 points in 65 regular season games with Calgary last season. On April 5, Monahan was shut down for the remainder of the season and missed the club's postseason run to have hip surgery. He is expected to be ready for training camp wherever he lands. 

As far as conditions go in the deal, there are a lot of them, as pulled from the Canadiens' press release: 

1. In the event Calgary's own 2024 first (1st) round choice is selection 20-32 (inclusive) (following the determination of the 2024 NHL Draft lottery results), then Montreal shall have the option, exercisable until 48 hours prior to the start of the 2024 NHL draft, to exchange the conditional 2025 or 2026 first round choice to become Calgary's own 2024 first (1st) round choice); or,

If Florida's 2025 First (1st) Round Choice Transfers to Calgary (pursuant to the conditions on an earlier trade)

2. In the event the conditions to trigger Montreal's option as noted in #1 above does not occur, or Montreal declines to exercise this option, the following conditions shall prevail:

• undefined
• undefined

If Florida's 2025 First Round Choice DOES NOT Transfer to Calgary (pursuant to the conditions on an earlier trade)

3. In the event the conditions to trigger Montreal's option as noted in #1 above does not occur, or Montreal declines to exercise this option, the following conditions shall prevail:

A. If Calgary's own 2025 first (1st) round choice is not in the top-10 selections of the 2025 NHL Draft (following the determination of the 2025 NHL Draft lottery results), Montreal shall receive Calgary's own 2025 first (1st) round choice, and additionally,

• undefined
• undefined
• undefined

B. If Calgary's own 2025 first (1st) round choice is a top-10 selection (following the determination of the 2025 NHL Draft lottery results), Montreal shall receive Calgary's 2025 first (1st) round choice, subject to the following condition below:

• undefined