Flames Rumors: Kadri Will Only Be Traded In A Hockey Trade

There continues to be noise surrounding Nazem Kadri this offseason even though he has four years left on his deal at $7 million AAV and the Calgary Flames aren't in a place where they want to rebuild right now after just missing the playoffs. He has generated interest due to his style of play and success, but it is going to be tough for a team to pull him out of Calgary.

The Flames don't necessarily have a window just yet unless everything comes together, but they will be much worse off if they dealt Kadri for some younger talent. David Pagnotta reported that the Flames are looking for a 2C, but for them to move out Kadri doesn't make a whole lot of sense unless it's a hockey trade.

Michael Backlund and Morgan Frost should both be NHL third line centers, but one of them will have to play on the second line. If Kadri were to be moved in a deal that doesn't get the team back a top-6 center, that would look even worse down the middle for Calgary.

Yegor Sharangovich and Connor Zary are both able to play center, but I also don't think either are up for the challenge of 2C next season unless they prove me wrong. Centers aren't easy to come by and Kadri's cap hit is not bad for the role he plays. He finished last season with 35 goals and 67 points while playing 19:21 per game and nearly three minutes on the power play per game.

Kadri has not run out of favour in Calgary, so nothing is pushing him out of town like how the Washington Capitals and Los Angeles Kings pulled off a hockey trade of Pierre-Luc Dubois and Darcy Kuemper. These types of trades aren't too popular and are difficult to get done for players of Kadri's level.

The Flames do have to figure out their longer term center problem, but for now, I don't see Kadri going anywhere.