This summer poses a great opportunity to gauge the market for Nazem Kadri

The centre market was interesting at the 2024–25 trade deadline. You had a lot of teams looking to upgrade, and not a lot of centres on the market. Brock Nelson fetched Calum Ritchie and a 2026 first-round draft pick. Yanni Gourde, along with Oliver Bjorkstrand, fetched two first-rounders and a second-rounder. Scott Laughton got a first-rounder and a prospect.

There were also a couple centre swaps. The Boston Bruins sent Charlie Coyle to the Colorado Avalanche for Casey Mittlestadt, and the Buffalo Sabres sent Dylan Cozens to the Ottawa Senators for Josh Norris. Tommy Novak, Luke Kunin, Mark Jankowski, Joe Veleno, Nico Sturm, and Cody Glass also moved.

This year’s free agent market is not much different. There are a large number of teams rumoured to be looking to upgrade at centre. And the free agent market is quite thin. Sam Bennett will get the highest total deal. John Tavares, Brock Nelson, Matt Duchene, Pius Suter, and Christian Dvorak also highlight the market. That’s it. Jonathan Toews will be looking to make his NHL return, but who knows what shape he’ll be in after missing the past two seasons.

Teams in the market for a centre

Of the teams looking to get their hands on a centre this summer:

• Winnipeg Jets
• Nashville Predators
• Vancouver Canucks
• Minnesota Wild
• Montreal Canadiens
• Carolina Hurricanes
• Utah Mammoth
• Philadelphia Flyers
• Chicago Blackhawks
• Calgary Flames
• Boston Bruins
• Toronto Maple Leafs (if Tavares departs)
• Colorado Avalanche (if Nelson departs)
• Florida Panthers (if Bennett departs)

That’s roughly half the league looking for a higher-end centre, and only six to seven are on the market.

Why should the Flames gauge the market for Kadri?

As a reader, you might see this and wonder why I am saying they should gauge the market for Kadri if they’re looking for centres. Well, Kadri will be 35 years old once the puck drops for the 2025–26 season, and he just put up a career high in goals with 35. Father Time hasn’t shown many signs in Kadri’s case yet, but it always shows up eventually. If the Flames hold onto Kadri for a few more years, they might not be able to get anything back for him. They could likely fetch a decent return if they move on from him now.

Ultimately, the Flames are still a team with too many veteran players to orchestrate a successful roster reset. They have a bunch of left-shot wingers, so my money would be on Blake Coleman being the guy to be moved, if the team decides to part with another veteran, assuming Rasmus Andersson is dealt. If this past deadline is any indication, you could get quite the return for Kadri this summer, given there’s a lot of demand and limited supply.

By no means am I saying to trade Kadri just for the sake of trading him. If the offers aren’t there or Kadri is unwilling to waive, he’s a valuable piece of your veteran core. He’s signed for four more years. But with the number of teams that will be in the centre market, you have to quietly gauge and see what is out there. It is also very important to note that Kadri has a full No-Move Clause, so he holds the right to choose where he goes, if anywhere. On July 1, 2026, that full No-Move turns into a 13-team no-trade list, giving the Flames a lot more opportunity.

Kadri could net the Flames a younger centre, along with futures

Although unlikely, I could see a situation where Kadri is dealt for a younger centre as part of the return package. For example, Kirby Dach and Jesperi Kotkaniemi are two names that would fit the criteria. Not the centerpiece of a package, but they are still young and can plug a lineup hole until your future centre has arrived.

If you want to get really crazy, I could see the Carolina Hurricanes having major interest in both Kadri and Rasmus Andersson this summer. Would Kadri waive to go to Carolina?

I have zero insider information on this, but I’d imagine he might be interested in a reunion with Toronto if Tavares leaves. He seems like a guy who would thrive in Montreal, and he’s exactly the type of player Montreal could use as they finish their rebuild.

I don’t think a Kadri trade happens this summer. I don’t think the Flames are even thinking about it. But, just like at the trade deadline, a limited supply and high demand mean the Flames would get a good return for Kadri now. That is a type of move that sells the fanbase on the plan you have in motion.