Why the Canadiens' links to $49M forward are good news for Montreal

The program's cohost, Pierre McGuire, seconded Lapierre's opinion. "He’s played for hard coaches, played for softer coaches, he won the Stanley Cup, he got some street cred coming into the room," he said.

Kadri played 10 seasons with the Leafs, three with the Avalanche (champion in 2022) and is in his fourth year with the Flames with a seven-year contract for a total value of $49 million.

Why Nazem Kadri is a good fit for the Canadiens

Although he is already a veteran, Kadri continues to perform at a high level. In the 2023-24 season, he recorded 75 points (29 goals and 46 assists), while in the last campaign, he recorded 67 points (35 goals and 32 assists).

The Canadian has a cap hit of $7 million, while Montreal has a space close to $5.1 million. Montreal could negotiate retention with the Flames if they enter a rebuild. In the future, the exit of high-cap would open flexibility for the remaining duration of a potential agreement.

Kadri would immediately solve the available C2 role with the Habs, with sustained production, heavy play and proven leadership in demanding environments. The 35-year-old forward would complement Alex Newhook well and would facilitate the integration with Ivan Demidov with a center that sets rhythms and protects the middle zone of the ice.

His status as a Stanley Cup champion would raise the standard in the locker room and would not clash with the youth of the core. He would function as a competitive stabilizer without displacing the hierarchies already established in the first line.

Although his age demands prudence for a long-term agreement, the present value for a team in search of consolidating its winning identity and center depth would reward that risk. That said, the ideal would be that the acquisition price remains in secondary prospects and picks.