Seeing as the Montreal Canadiens are off to a great start to the season, the trade rumours are starting to pick up steam, with Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri being mentioned as a potential trade target.
Pierre LeBrun touched on the subject on TSN’s Overdrive, though it’s important to keep a close eye on the language that was used when discussing the situation.
Opinion on Kadri’s Trade Status
“My understanding is that they’ve gone through the entire league in their preparation,” said LeBrun. “And have a list of what centres may pop up between now and next season, and obviously, ahead of the March 6 [trade] deadline. If you name a name, it has come up internally for the Montreal Canadiens.”
This is yet another reminder that the current management group, headlined by Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes, is known for its due diligence.
It costs nothing to inquire about the price tag of associated with certain players, and a team such as the Canadiens is constantly eyeing potential upgrades, as was the case when they acquired defenceman Noah Dobson prior to the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
“And yes, Nazem Kadri is one of those names,” elaborated LeBrun,” I think the Habs would have interest in him if he would become available later in the season. Because it’s still a need for them. What’s changed for Montreal, from years past, now they’ve become one of the teams where a guy like Kadri, I think anyway, this is just me, views it now in a different light.”
While Lebrun did not offer any concrete information, his assessment of the Canadiens’ roster is accurate. The Habs still need to add a quality centre to the mix, in a bid to relieve some of the burden placed on Nick Suzuki’s shoulders, while also improving their depth should the injury bug hit.
Almost every team that has managed a healthy run in the playoffs has a strong core of centres, which is certainly not the case for the Habs.
Montreal Canadiens Angle Of A Potential Kadri Trade
Darren Dreger mentioned the Canadiens, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Toronto Leafs would be among the interested NHL teams, which does add a little coal to the fire.
However, he also said the Flames are a long way away from approaching Kadri to set up a potential trade.
With that in mind, it’s safe to say the Canadiens are still looking to upgrade their options down the middle of the ice, which aligns with the reports, but it’s also fair to suggest Kadri does not fit the ideal age group targeted by Hughes and Co.
Kadri, 35, is signed to a seven-year contract which expires in 2029, and carries an annual average value (AAV) of $7 million.
He’s done an admirable job of bucking the usual decline felt by athletes once they turn 30, as evidenced by his 35-goal, 32-assist production last season. He’s currently on pace to score just 15 goals with the Flames this year, but we all know it’s difficult to get a solid read on potential trade targets who are playing on a bad team, which is definitely the case for Kadri.
In that vein, his underlying numbers with the Flames are still quite good. While he’s on the ice, Kadri has managed to control over 57 percent of the shots, and 59 percent of the high-danger scoring chances.
To make matters even more interesting, he’s the type of rough-and-tumble forward that fits Montreal’s ideal playing style.
Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks
Despite Kadri qualifying as an intriguing trade target, we simply can’t ignore the fact that not only would be become the oldest player on the team, he would be the elder statesman by a fairly wide margin. Brendan Gallagher is 33, while Josh Anderson and Mike Matheson (31) represent the only other players on the wrong side of 30, so to speak.
As the youngest team in the league, adding a player with a wealth of experience could be a boon, but we also have to be conscious that the only thing money can’t buy is more time, and Kadri is clearly in the last phase of his NHL career.
Montreal has put an onus on youth, as to maximize their asset value in trades. Having to pay a premium for a player like Kadri, a likely scenario due to the interest from other Canadian teams, would fly in the face of most of the decisions made by the Habs throughout the rebuild.
