Flames Sign Avalanche Star Nazem Kadri to Seven-Year Deal, per Report

The Flames are signing free-agent center Nazem Kadri to a seven-year deal, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports. The deal is expected to be worth $7 million a year, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.

Kadri played a key role helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup last season. The veteran forward recorded a career-high 87 points and 59 assists, along with 28 goals which is the third-highest total in his career. In 16 playoff games last year, Kadri totaled seven goals and eight assists with a serious thumb injury sandwiched in between.

Kadri played the first 10 years of his NHL career in Canada with the Maple Leafs, but when Toronto was looking to trade him in 2019 to Calgary, Kadri rejected the trade. Toronto traded him to Colorado that offseason instead.

To add Kadri at this price, Calgary is expected to trade center Sean Monahan to the Canadiens, per Friedman. Monahan has one year left on his contract worth $6.3 million.

The Flames move completes a hectic offseason for Calgary, which saw a ton of turnover despite the team winning the Pacific Division last year. The team lost its top two scorers from last season, as Johnny Gaudreau signed with the Blue Jackets and the team traded Matthew Tkachuk to Florida when Tkachuk declined to sign an extension.

However, the Flames were able to acquire Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar in the Tkachuk trade, along with signing Huberdeau to an eight-year, $84 million extension. Huberdeau and Kadri instantly combine to become the two of the top scoring players on the team based on last year’s points totals.

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