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Elliotte Friedman Debunks 'Fake' Nazem Kadri-Maple Leafs Trade Quotes

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 7:19 AM ET

Nazem Kadri’s name keeps surfacing in connection with the Toronto Maple Leafs if the Calgary Flames eventually entertain a trade of their top-line center.

According to Elliotte Friedman, much of that chatter isn’t just speculative—it’s fictional, and he was attributed "fake quotes" that he never said privately or publicly.

Speaking on Sunday's episode of the "32 Thoughts" podcast, Friedman forcefully denied a wave of fabricated quotes circulating online that wrongly tied him to the supposed availability for trade of Kadri.

“The one thing I do want to say is, I don’t think I’ve ever been around something where there were more fake quotes attributed to me in the last week than Nazem Kadri,” Friedman said. “I don't know what's going on with people out there."

Final 32 Thoughts podcast of the 2024-25 season; we go through all the teams in the league
Thank you to @sportsnetkyle @DomSramaty
And, even more importantly, all of our great listeners and thought-line contributors.
Have a great summerhttps://t.co/io7Mr1QEpm
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 6, 2025

Friedman explained he was surprised by the messages he received during the past few days, with people asking him about things he had supposedly said.

The insider revealed that he had to inform the teams about the fabricated nature of those fake reports personally by calling the parties involved.

"People were sending me these quotes I'd said about Kadri," Friedman said. "I actually had to send them to the teams and say, 'Guys, I know you’re gonna get calls about this—I didn’t say this stuff.'”

Friedman clarified that while teams have inquired about Kadri in the past, the Flames have shown no interest in moving him, and certainly are not interested in trading him this summer.

“I just think with Kadri, the Flames have been asked about him before," Friedman said. "They have him for term. Unless he comes to them and says, ‘I don’t think it’s working here. I want to go somewhere to compete...’

“...or they absolutely get their socks blown off to the point they go to him and say, 'We want to do this,' I don’t think that’s happening. I don’t think the Flames are really in a hurry to trade Nazem Kadri right now. Not after he had such a fantastic season for them.”

Kadri is coming off a 35-goal, 67-point season in Calgary and remains under contract at $7 million per year through 2029.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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