Nazem Kadri Has No Problem With Trade Rumors Linking Him to Maple Leafs

Nazem Kadri welcomes the trade rumors emanating from Toronto

We've heard the rumors about the Toronto Maple Leafs wanting to bring back Nazem Kadri in a potential trade with the Calgary Flames. Turns out that Nazem Kadri has heard them, too. And he doesn't mind the noise at all.

Kadri, who still has four years remaining on a $7 million cap hit with Calgary, ended his time in Toronto back in 2019 as a villain among many Leafs fans, after taking a costly suspension in the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

But he apparently holds no grudges against Leafs Nation, and welcomes the chatter, as he told The Knight Shift podcast recently (h/t Michael Mazzei in The Leafs Nation):

Unless I live in a box, I think I would hear it. I’ve certainly heard lots of speculation for sure... Obviously, the rumour mill is pretty strong, especially around these parts. And a lot of the time, the rumours can catch some fire and that fire turns into bigger fires.
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?

But Kadri was also quick to note that he loves it in Calgary, calling it a great city for his family. "I appreciate the C of Red for sure.”

But the former Stanley Cup winner is entering his age-35 season, and the Flames are a team trying to rebuild for the future. Their true contention window likely wouldn't come until his contract is done.

His type of grit and tenacity is exactly what the Maple Leafs need in GM Brad Treliving's pledge to "change the DNA" of the team, not to mention his desperate search for another legit top-six forward. But whether his old team would be willing to talk trade with him is another story altogether.

As noted by Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos on Monday, "Treliving has tried numerous times to trade with his old club in the past only to be shut down by the Flames on Tanev, Zadorov and Andersson, so it may be a stretch for the Leafs to land Kadri."

He popped a career-high 35 goals last season with 67 points in 82 games.