Insider Reports Nazem Kadri Would Waive No-Move For 2 Canadian Teams

It seems that Nazem Kadri is as entertained by the trade rumors swirling about him around the league as fans are in reading about it.

The gritty Calgary Flames forward, coming off a career-high 35 goals, would be an impactful addition to a contending team's top-six, but it's still unclear if the Flames are ready to trade him.

However, according to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, if Calgary GM Craig Conroy did come to Kadri and ask him to waive his full no-move clause, there would be two teams in Canada that he would be amenable to:

Two teams that Kadri continues to be linked to that he appears willing to lift his no-move clause for are the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kadri addressed the Toronto situation earlier this week, when asked what he thought of the rumors linking him to his former team.

"You know what? And why not? I mean, there’s not a whole lot in terms of sports going on right now. I think it’s definitely a topic to talk about, and hey, why not talk about it?"

Kadri has an... interesting history with the Leafs, having been run out of town in 2019 after taking a costly suspension in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year. He went on to the Colorado Avalanche, where he was a key cog in helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Kadri would waive no-move clause to go to the Canadiens, says insider

As for the Habs, they are desperate for a legit second-line center, and a feisty veteran like Kadri would be a huge boost to the young team, who are looking to take that next big step into the playoffs next season. And once in the postseason dance, Kadri has been a terrific performer, notching 15 points in 16 games in the Avs' Cup run, and totaling 19 goals and 44 points in 52 games in the playoffs over his career, with a plus-15 rating.

"Given how thin the market is for centres and how well he played last season, Kadri's stock has never been higher if Flames general manager Craig Conroy chooses to pull the trigger," writes Kypreos.

The one sticking point that could be an issue for interested teams is that Kadri still has four years to run on his contract with a $7 million cap hit, which takes him until his age-38 season. His full no-movement clause turns to a modified no-trade clause next July 1, with a 13-team no-trade list.