Flames Open to Kadri Trade, But Only After Milestone Reached

Nazem Kadri may be set to celebrate a major milestone Wednesday night when he plays his 1,000th career NHL game, but the veteran centre’s long-term future in Calgary remains uncertain. According to Nick Kypreos, Flames general manager Craig Conroy has made it known that he’s “open for business,” even if a trade involving Kadri isn’t imminent.

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Kadri spoke with the media prior to his 1000th game and said, “… just to be able to share with everybody means a lot to me. I’ve been able to reflect over the last couple days and kind of still hasn’t quite sunk in yet, but I’m sure with the ceremony and everything tomorrow at some point it will.” He added, when asked how he’ll celebrate, “Try to get W. That’d be a great start, so obviously you know to kind of keep that momentum going, and add another win in the win column will be huge. That would be a great way to celebrate, some celebrating afterwards as well.”

As for where it ranks on his list of achievements, “It’s up there at the very top,” he said.

“I’ve been a part of a couple ceremonies throughout my career and you know, more particularly as a young player kind of just didn’t really understand the meaning of it up until you become a veteran you have some experience and you understand how hard it how hard it is to be physically and mentally ready for for that many games. It’s an incredible achievement. I just have so much thankfulness and gratitude at this point that I’ve been able to, you know, be in this position to do what I love to do and continue to do it.”

The question that likely comes after Wednesday’s game is: where will he play after 1000 comes and goes?

Kadri May Not Play Many More in Calgary After 1000

While Conroy would never dare move Kadri before his milestone night, league sources suggest the door could reopen closer to the trade deadline if the right offer comes along. Kadri, 35, has a 13-team no-trade list, complicating potential destinations.

Nick Kypreos writes in his column on Tuesday, “Kadri has been linked to multiple teams, but we have to specifically mention the Carolina Hurricanes, who have been in a relentless pursuit for a top player since falling short on Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner last season. For now, the Hurricanes seem an unlikely destination for Kadri, as they are on his 13-team no-trade list.”

He also mentioned the Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens, both of whom are actively exploring options to bolster their top-six center depth. Neither team appears on Kadri’s no-trade list.

With a limited market for top-two centers and Kadri off to a productive start, Calgary’s veteran pivot could quietly become one of the more intriguing names to monitor as the season heads toward the trade deadline.

Next: “Raft of Transactions” Coming as D-Man Returns for Oilers