NHL players are taking in some much-needed downtime with the league at a standstill over the Olympic break. The focus of hockey fans worldwide has now shifted to the grand Olympic stage at Milan-Cortina. The best of the best in the NHL have set their team loyalties aside in a bid to bring glory to their countries.
Despite the temporary halt on all things NHL, front offices can get noisy with discussions about imminent moves. Now is also the time for teams to take a long, hard look at their respective rosters, address any remaining issues, and move forward. In that vein, the Montreal Canadiens have been linked with a standout forward of a struggling Western Conference team.
Insider Encourages Montreal Canadiens to Pursue Veteran Forward Nazem Kadri
Despite occasional flashes of brilliance, the Calgary Flames’ season has been underwhelming all season long, giving rise to all sorts of trade rumors. Former defenseman Rasmus Andersson’s future was the subject of much speculation until he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Among the remaining trade candidates, Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman stand out.
NHL insider Chris Johnston believes the Habs should seize the opportunity to acquire Kadri, who is in the fourth year of his seven-year, $49 million contract with Calgary. Even though he is a veteran who still has some term left on his contract and has not been at the top of his game, the mere fact that the forward might be open to moving to Montreal should incentivize discussions in that direction. After all, the Canadiens do not figure in Kadri’s 13-team no-trade list.
Moreover, as Johnston points out in his contribution to The Athletic, the Habs could still do with further reinforcements at center. Kadri is a solid choice for the role in question, especially with his extensive playoff experience.
Johnston addressed the Habs’ interest in Sidney Crosby at one point and argued that Kadri is the best the Canadiens can get if they want a veteran center with playoff experience, now that acquiring Crosby is an impossibility, thanks to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ phenomenal season and an almost guaranteed playoff spot.
Kadri may not be putting up numbers like before, but he is still a seasoned NHL center who brings playoff experience and veteran leadership to the youthful Canadiens. He might as well be exactly who the Habs need at the moment.
Please, no.