One of the top NHL free agency prizes of the offseason, center Nazem Kadri remains unsigned. Kadri was instrumental in the success of the Colorado Avalanche last season, putting up career-best totals in assists (59) and points (87) and constantly making the Avs a popular bet among NHL expert picks.
He also added seven goals and eight assists in 16 playoff games. That Kadri remains unsigned is far from a sign of a lack of interest.
Kadri for the Next Season
However, Kadri turns 32 before the start of next season, and Kadri may be looking for a longer-term deal than what teams are comfortable with.
Will he need to sacrifice term for a bigger payday? Or perhaps the opposite, sacrificing some of the salary to reduce the cap hit across a longer term? While we await answers to those questions, here are a few teams that would be a great fit for Kadri.
Teams That Would Be a Great Fit
1. New York Islanders
The Islanders have been silent in NHL free agency so far as acquisitions go. They’ve yet to sign any new players, only retaining defenseman Sebastian Aho and left-wing Otto Koivula.
- Andy Greene
- Zdeno Chara
- Thomas Hickey
All were left unsigned, with Greene and Chara expected to announce their retirements. However, there’s one major hangup before signing Kadri.
The Islanders are facing a cap crunch. According to CapFriendly, New York has just over $11.1 million in cap room.
Islanders Defensemen
The Isles also have 13 forwards and four defensemen under contract for next season, and they’ll need to sign Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov to get to a full roster.
By the time those two are locked into their deals, New York may not have enough room to get Kadri signed as well.
Still, if the Islanders do find a way to get Kadri into the fold, he’d be a welcome presence on the roster.
Islanders Offense
New York’s offense showed some life toward the end of the season, but the inconsistency over the course of the year has to be at the forefront of GM Lou Lamoriello’s mind.
During an 11-game losing streak in November and early December, the Islanders were outscored 41-13 and were shut out three times.
Four of New York’s five shutouts on the season came at home, so though the defense and goaltending are solid, the offense must be better, and Kadri would certainly make that happen.
Islanders Rankings
Furthermore, the Islanders ranked 30th in the league in shots on goal per game. However, according to NHL stats, Kadri hit the over on his shot prop (three or more shots in a game) 40 times in 55 eligible games and in 21 of 25 eligible home contests.
2. Winnipeg Jets
Similar to the Islanders, the Jets missed the playoffs last season, though, in Winnipeg’s case, it was more because of their defensive inefficiencies than a lack of scoring production.
Still, the Jets will look to bounce back after four consecutive playoff appearances prior to last year’s disappointment.
In Winnipeg, there’s a chance Kadri would need to move to the wing, as Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois would hold things down up the middle.
However, Kadri does have some experience there, spending some time on the wing while with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
NHL Matchup Nightmare
Especially if Kadri ends up on a line with Dubois and Kyle Connor, that line becomes an NHL matchup nightmare.
Winnipeg Jets needs the forward help with only nine under contract, and with a tightly contested Central division, Kadri could be the piece that brings the Jets back to contention.
This one doesn’t seem as likely, but the same way Columbus was a dark horse in the Johnny Gaudreau sweepstakes, a dark horse team like the Jets could very well emerge to land Kadri.
3. Colorado Avalanche
Is a return to the Avalanche in the cards? It’s certainly possible, and frankly, I think it’s the most likely option.
It already seems like the best system fit, for both team and player, given Kadri’s career year in 2022. Being able to stay put would certainly be nice, as uprooting life to join a new club is seldom desirable for players and their families.
It’s, for this reason, I think wherever Kadri ends up, there will be at least a partial no-trade clause as part of the deal.
Avalanche Listed as Cup Favorites
NHL betting odds already have the Avalanche listed as Cup favorites for next season with odds of +400. Adding Kadri back into the fold would only help to improve those odds.
However, in order to bring Kadri back, Colorado would need to follow suit with most teams on this list and clear some cap room.
Samuel’s Girard Deal
There is already talk that defenseman Samuel Girard (signed for five more seasons at $5 million AAV) could be on his way out the door.
Girard was injured during the Avs’ Cup run, and up-and-comer Bowen Byram thrived in Girard’s absence. For better or worse, Girard is the most expendable piece on the roster, and if Kadri is coming back, it’s hard to see a way Girard is involved.
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