The Colorado Avalanche have made a bold move by acquiring forward Nazem Kadri from the Calgary Flames, just before the trade deadline. This acquisition demonstrates the team’s ambition for the current season.
In the agreement, Colorado sent a conditional first-round pick in 2028, a conditional second-round pick in 2027, forward Victor Olofsson, and center prospect Max Curran to the Flames. In return, they received Kadri and a fourth-round pick in 2027. In addition, Calgary will retain 20% of Kadri’s salary, which amounts to $7 million, for the remaining three years of his contract.
The 2028 first-round pick is tied to the pick that Toronto sent to Colorado in the Nic Roy trade on Thursday. It could be a top-ten protected first-round pick in 2028 or an unprotected first-round pick in 2029. The 2027 second-round pick is the better of Colorado’s or Minnesota’s pick.
Kadri, 35 years old, has recorded 12 goals and 41 points in 61 games this season.
Kadri played for Colorado from 2019 to ’22, winning the Stanley Cup championship in the 2021-22 season. The veteran center left the team as a free agent that summer and joined Calgary. He hasn’t participated in the postseason since then, as the Flames have been slowly declining towards their current state of rebuilding.
This made Kadri a viable trade candidate. He has maintained his productivity and durability despite Calgary’s struggles, playing in all 82 games of each of the last three seasons and recording a career-high 35 goals last year.
The transaction was completed in the last minutes before the Friday deadline at 3 p.m. ET. Colorado needed salary retention for Kadri to fit under the salary cap, and Calgary tried to avoid it if possible. In the end, the Flames received a considerable package in line with their current situation and future prospects, and Kadri will have the opportunity to fight for another championship in Colorado.
The Avalanche hope to achieve it. Colorado was looking to strengthen its position in the center and began to do so by trading Nicolas Roy from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday in exchange for another first-round pick. Now, the Avalanche have given up another, along with several more pieces, to acquire Kadri and have a true third-line center behind Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson.
Currently, the Avalanche lead the league with 91 points.
