Snapshots: Mammoth, Avalanche, Omark
Ahead of tonight’s game against St. Louis, the Utah Mammoth shared that both Dylan Guenther and Sean Durzi wouldn’t play. Guenther has been held out for undisclosed reasons, while Durzi was categorized as having an upper-body injury.
Locked in for their first round matchup against Vegas, the first in their team’s history, Utah has no reason to take any chances in an inconsequential game 82 tonight. The dynamic young team will present a real challenge against the Golden Knights, who’ve found their stride under new head coach John Tortorella.
Guenther, 23, broke out this year with a team-leading 40 goals. Tonight marks just the third game he’s missed all year, and he should be all set for the postseason in his spot as a top winger, which will be his postseason debut.
On the other hand, Durzi left against Winnipeg last Tuesday after playing 9:46. Losing time back in the fall from an IR stint stemming from an upper-body issue, he’s played in 60 games this year, averaging 19:16 a night, a dip from previous years. It’s unknown what his status will be for Game 1, but the 27-year-old will be eager to return to the playoffs for the first time since his time as a Los Angeles King three years ago.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar told reporters, including Meghan Angley of Guerilla Sports, that he expects the team to be fully healthy for the playoffs. It’s great news for the soon-to-be Presidents’ Trophy winners. A number of notable players have been banged up lately; Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri, Josh Manson with various injuries. However, the group is expected to be at full strength as they take the ice for Game 1, with their opponent and dates still to be officially determined.
- Former NHL forward Linus Omark has retired at age 39, confirmed in an interview posted by Expressen, a news outlet in his native Sweden. Selected in the fourth round by Edmonton in the 2007 draft, Omark debuted with the club in the 2010-11 season, and last played with the Buffalo Sabres in February 2014. The winger’s NHL career was limited, 32 points in 79 games, but he’s still a memorable name, with his highlights making the rounds across the internet years ago and still worth a watch. Omark emerged as an electric prospect for the Oilers, and quickly caught the attention of the league with a one-of-a-kind shootout winning goal, in his NHL debut no less, which went viral and can still be seen on the NHL’s Youtube. Despite his incredible skills, Omark offered not enough defensive capabilities, nor strength, to solidify himself as an NHLer. Playing in a middle-ground era of the NHL also did no favors. Even though it didn’t work in North America, he went on to have a tremendous career overseas, as a top scorer in the KHL with Ufa Salavat Yulayev from 2015-2020. The veteran won a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Championships, and recorded seven assists in four games at the 2018 Olympic Games. In 2025 he helped his hometown club Luleå HF take home their first Swedish Hockey League title in 29 years. Omark wrapped up his final season with Luleå putting up 16 points in 29 games.
West Notes: Avalanche, Dickinson, Daccord
The Avalanche clinched themselves a trophy on Thursday night, securing the Presidents’ Trophy as the team with the best regular season record. They did so without a pair of key veterans in defenseman Cale Makar and center Nazem Kadri. Speaking with reporters postgame including Kyle Newman of The Denver Post, head coach Jared Bednar indicated that he’s hoping to see Makar get back into a game before the playoffs. Sidelined since the end of March due to an upper-body injury, he sits third on the Avs in scoring with 75 points in 73 games. As for Kadri, he’s listed as day-to-day with a finger issue. Acquired just before the buzzer at the trade deadline last month, he has fit in well in his second stint with the team, collecting nine points in 16 games, three of those being power play goals.
More from out West:
- The Oilers will be without center Jason Dickinson for their game on Saturday against Los Angeles. Team broadcaster Bob Stauffer notes (Twitter link) that the veteran is unavailable after suffering a leg injury on Wednesday against San Jose. Acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline, the 30-year-old has a goal and three assists in 17 games with his new team while averaging a little over 15 minutes per game of ice time. He has been their most-used penalty killer since being acquired as well. There’s no word yet on a timeline for Dickinson’s return.
- Already missing Philipp Grubauer, the Kraken could be without their other netminder as they look to keep their very faint playoff hopes alive. Team radio host Mike Benton relays (Twitter link) that Joey Daccord was feeling sore after Thursday’s game and was undergoing evaluation today. If he’s unable to suit up Saturday against Calgary, the team will have to recall someone (likely Victor Ostman) from AHL Coachella Valley with Niklas Kokko probably in line to make his first NHL start in a must-win game if they want to avoid elimination from the playoffs. Daccord has a 3.03 GAA with a .896 SV% in 47 games this season.
Snapshots: Kadri, Chatfield, Predators
The Colorado Avalanche shared that Nazem Kadri wouldn’t return against St. Louis as a result of an upper-body injury. It was not immediately evident where the ailment occurred.
Since returning to the Avs at the trade deadline, Kadri has served a middle six role, few teams offering a player of his caliber at third line center. In 15 games so far he’s recorded nine points, clearly no longer the elite scorer at age 35, but a strong player nonetheless.
Kadri’s corsi for at five-on-five expectedly jumped to 55%, although his 52% mark in Calgary was already admirable on a struggling team as opposed to the league’s best. Fully evident of his role change, he’s starting just under 52% of shifts in the defensive zone under head coach Jared Bednar, a drastic flip from his nearly 67% on the attack as a Flame.
With this in mind, Kadri plays a crucial role with match-ups, should the Avalanche go on a deep run this spring. Postgame updates will be watched closely, with the hope that he’ll be good to go for the club’s next game, Thursday, as they host his former team of the Flames.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour had no postgame update on Jalen Chatfield, noted by Cory Lavalette of The North State Journal. The defenseman left in the third period, bothered with a lower-body injury, and didn’t return. Carolina clinched their Metropolitan Division crown with a back-and-forth overtime win over Boston, but it would be costly if they lost Chatfield for any extended period. At age 29, the shutdown man is averaging over 20 minutes for the first time in his career, continuing to show outstanding possession metrics in a real second pairing role. The Canes will hope Chatfield is back for one of their four remaining regular season games, as soon as Thursday in Chicago.
- Insider Frank Seravalli of Frankly Hockey believes the Nashville Predators will explore former Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald as a candidate, as noted in the April 7 edition of the podcast. Fired by New Jersey just yesterday, Seravalli suspects that the timing was with this in mind. The 57-year-old is a natural fit with the Predators, having served as their inaugural captain, playing alongside current head coach Andrew Brunette, under the departing general manager Barry Trotz, no less. Fitzgerald stands out as a candidate with over five years of general manager experience at the NHL level, a trait favorable compared to other options. The Predators are thought to be seeking an entirely new voice, but at the very least, Fitzgerald will garner consideration.
Canadiens Were “In The Mix” Late On Nazem Kadri
From the moment the Avalanche expressed interest in bringing Nazem Kadri back into the fold, they became the frontrunner to land him from the Flames, although that didn’t stop other teams from pursuing the top-six pivot. Part of why the initial Kadri to Colorado report didn’t come out until an hour after the deadline passed was because of how aggressively the Canadiens were pushing to land him until ultimately backing out with less than a couple of hours to go, The Athletic’s Peter Baugh reports.
Montreal’s interest in Kadri isn’t a new storyline. It was well-documented that they were in the market for a top-six forward (although preferably a winger), but they were still limited in how many assets they were willing to give up at this early stage of their contention window. The Flames and Habs also had talks surrounding Blake Coleman throughout the year, and Montreal was also linked to Calgary defender Zach Whitecloud last week, although none of those deals ended up getting done.
Instead, the Habs were silent last week. General manager Kent Hughes told reporters Friday after the deadline passed that they spent all their time that morning and afternoon on a “significant deal” and didn’t devote their attention anywhere else (via Arpon Basu of The Athletic). Given Baugh’s report, it stands to reason that the potential pickup was Kadri.
A first-round pick, a second-round pick, a B-tier prospect in Max Curran, and a salary ended up going back Calgary’s way – and that was with the Flames retaining cash, which they wouldn’t have had to do if they took Patrik Laine off Montreal’s hands in a Kadri deal. It was a matchable price, but evidently one Hughes determined Montreal wasn’t willing to exceed before making a more serious playoff challenge with their existing core.
The Habs will instead roll into what they hope will be a second consecutive playoff berth with a top-six forward group that, as currently constructed, has three players aged 22 or younger and no one over the age of 26. Montreal only has three forwards over the age of 30 – Josh Anderson, Phillip Danault, and Brendan Gallagher – and they’re all on a line together.
Poll: Which Deadline Day Pickup Will Make The Biggest Impact?
The 2026 Trade Deadline was stalled before it had a chance to launch thanks to a rare December blockbuster that sent Quinn Hughes across the Western Conference. Hughes has since scored 39 points in 31 games with the Minnesota Wild, putting together an impact with his new team that no player in the league could hope to match. Through a quiet Deadline, a few moving pieces could bring enough of a boost to bolster their new team’s chances of making the playoffs or contending for the Stanley Cup.
The top candidate to make a big splash is center Nazem Kadri, who rejoins the Colorado Avalanche after averaging 27 goals and 64 points per 82 games played with the Calgary Flames, across four seasons. Kadri was a constant source of offense on a Flames deep who saw their supplies diminish as the years went on. Then again, he reached his career-high in scoring with an 87-point season in 2021-22, his final year in Colorado. Kadri earned his first Stanley Cup ring that year and now rejoins the Avalanche in the middle of their best season since. He will hold an important, middle-six role either in relief of Brock Nelson‘s second-line role or in bringing a power-punch to Colorado’s depth. Leaving behind a #1 role in Calgary could kneecap Kadri’s offense but joining a team like Colorado could be enough to bring it back up.
Another easy choice is Anaheim’s acquisition of career-Washington Capital defenseman John Carlson. The deal was finalized just after 1 AM ET on March 6th, when much of the hockey world, and Carlson himself, were asleep. In the quiet of the night, Anaheim pulled off a monumental move to bring in one of the league’s top offensive-defensemen. Even in his age-36 season, Carlson has racked up 10 goals and 46 points in 55 games with the Capitals. He has proven to still be an effective scorer even into his sunset seasons, though got bumped out of Washington’s top-defender role by the emergence of Jakob Chychrun. Instead, he will head to the West coast to challenge Jacob Trouba for the role of top-right defense on the Pacific Division’s top team. He is currently nursing a day-to-day, lower-body injury but Carlson could really click with Anaheim’s fast-moving, hard-working offense when he steps into the lineup.
A pair of St. Louis Blues will look to do enough to join this list as they head to the Eastern Conference. Defenseman Justin Faulk was acquired by the Detroit Red Wings for an expensive package. The Red Wings will need to pipe him into a key role to justify their pricey buy. Luckily, they’re in need of a high-motor, third-string defender who can bring oomph behind the top pair of Simon Edvinsson and Moritz Seider. Faulk stood as St. Louis’ top defenseman, and main play-driver from the blue-line, even as his overall performances began to slip. In competition with Ben Chiarot and Axel Sandin Pellikka, it should be easy for Faulk to emerge as the caterer of offense away from Detroit’s top pair.
Meanwhile, Brayden Schenn will hope for improved minutes as he joins a playoff-contending New York Islanders club. Schenn’s role in St. Louis dwindled to a support presence in his final years, usually spent platooning the center role with one of the Blues’ young prospects. He hit an offensive wall this season as a result – just 28 points in 62 games – but is only one year removed from scoring 18 goals and 50 points, with a positive plus-minus. Schenn has slowed substantially in his mid-30s, but he remains a dangerous shooter and effective playmaker. If the Islanders can help him find some pseudo-tempo, he could be a candidate for a streak of shooting luck.
Who do you think will leave the biggest mark for his new club? Use the 2025-26 In-Season Trade Tracker to see the list of Trade Deadline day moves and vote below!
Which NHL Trade Deadline Pickup Will Make The Biggest Impact?
-
COL - Nazem Kadri, C 39% (338)
-
ANA - John Carlson, D 25% (216)
-
DET - Justin Faulk, D 17% (142)
-
NYI - Brayden Schenn, C 12% (104)
-
Other (Comment Below!) 7% (58)
Total votes: 858
Photo courtesy of Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports.
Avalanche Acquire Nazem Kadri
An hour after the deadline, one of the top names finally comes off the board. The Flames have agreed to send Nazem Kadri and their 2027 fourth-round pick back to Colorado for a reunion with the Avalanche, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2022, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The Avs’ 2028 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick, winger Victor Olofsson, and the signing rights to forward prospect Max Curran are going to Calgary. Both draft picks have conditions attached. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet adds that the Flames are retaining 20% of his salary to bring his cap hit down from $7MM to $5.6MM for the Avs. The trade is now official.
The idea of the Avalanche bringing Kadri back into the fold first surfaced last week in a report from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period. Kadri, armed with a 13-team no-trade list, told TSN today that Colorado was “the team at the very top of my list” and was “for the most part” only interested in returning to Denver if he didn’t stay with the Flames (via Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now).
Momentum toward a deal seemed to cease when Colorado traded a first-round and a fifth-round pick to the Maple Leafs yesterday for Nicolas Roy. Not only did Roy swallow up $3MM in cap space, but they traded away their top 2027 draft pick that most assumed would have to be included in any potential deal for Kadri. They’d traded away their 2026 selection at last year’s deadline for Brock Nelson. They now have no first-round choice until 2029 and haven’t drafted in the first round since taking Calum Ritchie (also traded for Nelson) 27th overall and Mikhail Gulyayev 31st overall in 2023.
The Avalanche never wanted to lose Kadri after his career year in 2021-22 fueled them to a Stanley Cup. The post-COVID flat cap environment simply made matching Kadri’s open market value impossible, though, and at age 31, he was never going to have a better opportunity to cash in on a long-term deal. Colorado had fits trying to replace him as their #2 center behind Nathan MacKinnon, rotating through lower-cost or younger names like Alex Newhook, Ryan Johansen, and Casey Mittelstadt until finally addressing the hole in a meaningful way by splurging for Brock Nelson from the Islanders at last year’s deadline.
Nelson has flourished this season, racking up 30 goals and 52 points in 60 games while playing over 19 minutes per night. Nelson could shift to the wing to make room for Kadri down the middle in the top six – he did spend some time on John Tavares‘ flank early in his career in New York. In any event, the Avs have an excess of options down the middle with Roy, Ross Colton, Jack Drury, and Parker Kelly all able to comfortably hold things down on the third or fourth lines. If Colorado really wants to spread the wealth, it could slot in Kadri on the third line down the middle behind Nelson and look to get him extra ice time on the top power play unit to maximize his value.
Kadri, 35, owns a 12-29–41 scoring line in 61 games this year for the Flames that’s relatively uninspiring given his recent track record. He didn’t make an overwhelming first impression in Calgary with 56 points in 2022-23, but he followed that up with a 75-point year in 2023-24 and then a career-high 35 goals last season.
Kadri’s age and term remaining will be something of a concern, seeing as he’s now on the Avs’ books through 2028-29. It’s important to consider that Kadri didn’t miss a single game due to injury over his three-plus years in Calgary and last landed out of the lineup when he fractured his right thumb in the 2022 Final with the Avs. Even then, he hasn’t missed double-digit games in a season due to injury since before the pandemic.
Whatever concerns the Avs may have about Kadri’s production this year certainly weren’t enough to stop them from reacquiring him, plus an ugly 6.9% shooting clip should turn around in short order and help him get hot for Colorado down the stretch. A two-time All-Star, he’s played the least for the Avs out of his three NHL stops but reached the playoffs each time.
In contrast, no team has more premier draft picks in the next few years than the Flames. They already had an impressive stable before the deal, but now own a pair of first-round picks each in 2026, 2027, and 2028 and have eight second-rounders over the next three years as well.
They’ll take a bit of money back in the deal in the form of Olofsson, a pending UFA at a cap hit of $1.575MM. A strong finish to the year could result in an extension if he’s open to staying in Calgary; they’ll need to retain a few veteran bodies to fill out their forward group next season. He ended up being a shrewd depth pickup for the Avs last summer, scoring 11 goals and 25 points in 60 games, but became a redundant luxury they couldn’t afford after adding Kadri and Roy into the mix.
Curran won’t make a huge splash in Calgary’s already excessive prospect pool but is a nice get nonetheless. The 6’3″ center is still 19 years old and was a fifth-round pick by Colorado in 2024. Ranked as their #7 prospect entering the season by Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff, he’s produced over a point per game over his last two seasons in the WHL and has committed to UMass for the fall before potentially turning pro in 2027-28.
Flames general manager Craig Conroy told reporters that the condition on the 2028 first is tied to the condition attached to the 2027 first they sent to Toronto in the Roy deal. That pick was top-10 protected, so in the unlikely event it falls in that range and defers to 2028, the Flames would then receive Colorado’s 2029 first unprotected. The 2027 pick they receive is the better of the Avs’ or Wild’s second-rounder (via Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960).
Image courtesy of Geoff Burke-Imagn Images.
Avalanche Interested In Nazem Kadri Reunion
The Avalanche have already been busy opening cap space ahead of the trade deadline, taking a slight hit to their blue line depth to swap out Samuel Girard for Brett Kulak in Tuesday’s deal with the Penguins. They’re now projected to have close to $11MM in cap space on deadline day. That leaves them wide-open to acquire a big-name target to bolster their chase for the Presidents’ Trophy and the Stanley Cup.
One of those targets is coming into view: Flames pivot Nazem Kadri, whose career year for the Avs in 2021-22 helped guide them to their only Cup win of the Nathan MacKinnon era, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports. That comes amid Kadri’s name rocketing up trade lists following reports that he’s had a change of heart on his willingness to stay in Calgary long-term, plus Pagnotta indicating today that the Flames are open to retaining a portion of Kadri’s $7MM cap hit.
With a 13-team no-trade list, Kadri can block a move to several contenders. The Hurricanes, who were purported to have interest in him earlier this season, were reportedly on that list. It’s a relative certainty, though, that Kadri wouldn’t welcome a return to the destination where he had his greatest offensive success, which he then parlayed into his seven-year, $49MM free agency cash-in with Calgary in 2022.
Now 35, Kadri’s deal still has another three seasons left on it. He’ll be 38 when it’s up. For a cap-strapped team like the Avs, that makes a deal a non-starter without retention because of its long-term impact, even if they have the space to pull it off this season. If Calgary is willing to make him closer to a $5MM or $4MM player through 2028-29, though, that suddenly makes it a workable addition for Colorado. They’re up to $13MM in flexibility for next season after the Girard-for-Kulak trade with seven roster spots to fill. Bringing that figure back under $10MM with a Kadri pickup, assuming they don’t send a significantly-paid roster player the other way, would preclude them from making any major additions this summer as things stand, but it would still allow them to fill out a full roster with depth signings.
The presumption that the Avs wouldn’t send a roster player back may be hasty, though. They’re one of the deepest clubs in the league at every position, their prospect pool notwithstanding, and could easily stand to leverage a third-line name like Jack Drury or an even pricier one like Ross Colton in talks if the Flames have an interest in either.
If there’s a relative weakness on Colorado’s roster, it’s having Drury in the third-line slot down the middle. His eight goals and 19 points in 56 games this season are somewhat underwhelming on a team that scores as much as the Avs for a player averaging nearly 15 minutes per night. He’s nonetheless been incredibly valuable in the faceoff dot, winning 58.6% of his draws.
What Kadri lacks in faceoff acumen, he more than makes up for in what would likely give the Avs one of the best one-two-three punches down the middle in the modern era with MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, and himself. Even in a relatively down year for the late bloomer (at least in terms of him being a true top-six piece), he’s put up 39 points in 56 games to lead Calgary in scoring. That’s a 57-point pace over 82 games, and his recent history remains exceptional, with 35 goals last year and 75 points the year before.
It’s fair to question if a Kadri acquisition would cause the Avs to invest too much into aging assets for too long, though. While Nelson has exploded for 30 goals and 50 points in 56 games, he’s 34 years old and signed for two more years at a $7.5MM cap charge. With Cale Makar‘s next big payday scheduled for 2027, loading up too much past next season could leave them with too little flexibility to get a deal done.
Among the other teams that have expressed some level of interest are the Canadiens, as previously reported, plus Colorado’s Central Division challengers, the Stars and Wild, Pagnotta reports. He also added the Panthers as a team that’s kicked the tires, but that likely hinges on their decision to enter the deadline as buyers at all – something that’s looking less and less likely with a playoff spot now eight points out of reach.
Image courtesy of Jeff Curry-Imagn Images.
Snapshots: Kadri, Wilson, MacKinnon, Blueger
Nazem Kadri has been no stranger to the rumor mill over the last couple of years with the Flames in the middle of a rebuild of sorts. While his public comments have consistently indicated a desire to remain in Calgary, it’s possible that he’s having a change of heart. In a recent TSN Insider Trading segment, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the veteran now wants to be traded at this point while the team continues to test the market on him. The 35-year-old should have a decent market given the dearth of quality centers available but having three years left after this one on his contract with a $7MM price tag could give some suitors some pause. Despite Calgary’s struggles this season, Kadri leads the team in scoring with 10 goals and 29 assists in 56 games.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- The Capitals announced (Twitter link) that Tom Wilson’s absence from tonight’s game against Philadelphia was due to illness. Wilson had a fairly successful run at the Olympics for Canada with four points in six games while also finishing second in the event in penalty minutes with 29. The winger leads Washington in scoring this season with 23 goals and 26 assists in 50 games.
- After a busy Olympic tournament with Canada, the Avalanche decided to give Nathan MacKinnon the night off tonight against Utah. Corey Masisak of The Denver Post relays (Twitter link) that MacKinnon’s absence was merely termed as maintenance and not injury-related. It was suggested that MacKinnon was playing through something at the Olympics although he still managed seven points in six games while playing heavy minutes. He leads the NHL in goals this season with 40 through 55 appearances.
- Speaking with reporters including Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, Canucks center Teddy Blueger noted that he’d love to remain with the team but as of yet, there haven’t been any discussions about a possible contract extension. The 31-year-old has been limited to just ten games this season heading into tonight’s action due to injury but has been surprisingly productive in those, notching five goals and three assists. Known as more of a checking center throughout his career, Blueger is likely to garner interest before next week’s trade deadline from teams looking to shore up their bottom six. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent with a $1.8MM cap charge.
Pacific Notes: Kuzmenko, Kings Defensemen, Kadri
Los Angeles Kings forward Andrei Kuzmenko left yesterday’s game with an upper-body injury, the team announced last night. Kuzmenko left the bench with an injury and attempted to return in the second period, but was unable to get back into the game. The Kings have not issued any further update on Kuzmenko’s status, but the fact that the Olympic break has now begun does give Kuzmenko some runway to recover before games start up again.
Kuzmenko, 30, has had an up-and-down tenure in Los Angeles. He was an instant success after he was traded there last season, scoring five goals and 17 points in 22 games. He added six points in the Kings’ first round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers. He has just 23 points in 51 games this season, but he’s far from the only Kings forward who has seen his offensive production take a step back year-over-year. It will be interesting to see how Kuzmenko’s usage does or does not change after the addition of Artemi Panarin.
Other notes from the Pacific Division:
- After yesterday’s game, Kings head coach Jim Hiller told the media, including team reporter Zach Dooley, that the Kings’ defense is “pretty banged up” and that several blueliners are “quite a ways south of 100 percent.” Dooley noted that this is a new development, as previously only veteran Joel Edmundson had been understood to be dealing with an injury. With the Kings in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, it’s clear the Olympic break is coming at a useful time for the Kings.
- Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri figures to be one of the top players available at his position in the lead up to this season’s trade deadline, but recently, trade rumors surrounding his name have slowed. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wrote today that Kadri’s trade situation is moving more slowly than anticipated in part because teams are looking for clarity on Vincent Trocheck and Robert Thomas, two centers whose names are swirling in trade rumors. Friedman noted that the Flames are “flexible” in terms of what kind of return they’re seeking in exchange for Kadri, which could help the odds that a trade is completed before the deadline passes.
Latest On Nazem Kadri
Leading up to the trade deadline, Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames remains a speculative trade candidate for contending teams. However, the Montreal Canadiens, who have been frequently linked to Kadri in recent months, have cooled their interest in the former Stanley Cup champion over the last few weeks.
In a new article, Marco D’Amico of RG Media indicates that this perceived lack of interest from Montreal isn’t due to Kadri specifically, but rather to the growing flexibility inside the organization. D’Amico added that the Canadiens believe Oliver Kapanen, who has 17 goals and 30 points in 55 games this season, has become a legitimate top-six option down the middle and that Phillip Danault has stabilized the rest of the center core.
As Montreal approaches the deadline, D’Amico believes that it is far likelier the team will look to add a top-six winger to put next to Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki on the first line. However, pursuing Kadri isn’t completely off the table, either. D’Amico confirmed that the Canadiens are not on Kadri’s no-trade list.
Regardless of Montreal’s internal growth, there are still benefits of adding a player of Kadri’s caliber to a relatively young roster. The 35-year-old center has scored 19 goals and 44 points in 52 games across seven postseason trips, and played an integral part in the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup title in 2022. However, it’s not difficult to ascertain their lack of urgency. In fact, that lack of urgency may lead to a better price for the Canadiens if Kadri’s market completely bottoms out.
Still, that’s a long shot from Montreal’s perspective. Further down the article, D’Amico suggested that the Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, and Minnesota Wild remain interested in acquiring Kadri in varying degrees. There is no word on whether those teams are on Kadri’s no-trade list.