Calgary Flames sign top free agent Nazem Kadri
The Calgary Flames signed center Nazem Kadri to a contract, securing the biggest name remaining in the free agent market. Contract details are not confirmed at this time, although the expected duration is even years.
Kadri was an unrestricted free agent after completing a six-year contract capped at $4.5 million. He first signed that deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who drafted him seventh overall in 2009, but he was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche midway through with Calle Rosen and a third-round pick. for Tyson Barrie, Alex Kerfoot and a sixth. -Round pick.
Kadri just completed a career year in 2021-22, with 28 goals and a career-high 59 assists and 87 points in 71 games, the first time he’s scored at more than a point-per-game pace in a season. He continued that play in the playoffs, scoring seven goals, eight assists and 15 points in 16 games for the Avalanche in their run to the Stanley Cup.
It was a good year at both ends of the ice for Kadri, as he played well defensively for the Avalanche, even when he was thrust into the role of first center when Nathan MacKinnon was injured throughout the game. season. He finished the year with a shot attempt share of 58.01% and an expected goal share of 54.91% at even strength, numbers that should trickle down to Darryl Sutter’s system in Calgary.
The Flames have had about as busy and chaotic an offseason as one can imagine. It’s not often that a team can come out of a summer where their top two players left via free agency and/or a trade and still look like a solid team, but that’s exactly what they got. do. Kadri was about as good a Johnny Gaudreau replacement as you could get in this class of free agency, although there were still a few steps back and then they took an unwinnable situation with demand traded Matthew Tkachuk and turned him into Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar, as well as a first-round pick and prospect. They might not be done either, as reports say they are looking to move center Sean Monahan to help make room on the ceiling for that signature.
