Bombshell Trade: Nazem Kadri Heads Back to Avalanche

He's baaaack. In a stunning 4pm bombshell, the news has dropped that Nazem Kadri is headed back to the Colorado Avalanche.

NAZEM KADRI IS HEADING BACK TO THE AVALANCHE PER @FriedgeHNIC

A LAST SECOND STUNNER!!!!! 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/YJWThenIoq
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 6, 2026

The announcement is stunning, as it comes a full hour after the official trade deadline of 3pm Eastern, but there was obviously a lot of paperwork and last-minute filings for the NHL to sort through.

After saying for weeks that they refused to retain in any Kadri trade, the Flames caved a bit and retained 20%, bringing the $7M cap hit down to $5.6M. Additionally, a first-rounder and more go to Calgary as well.

Trade details:

To #GoAvsGo:
C Nazem Kadri (20% / $1.4 million retained per year)
2027 4th Round Pick

To #Flames:
2028 COL 1st Round Pick
2027 2nd Round Pick
Max Curran
Oskar Olausson
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 6, 2026

The Flames get a first in 2028, a second in 2027, as well as Max Curran and Oskar Olausson.

"It's massive, it's Massive!," shouted Kevin Bieska on Sportsnet's Hockey Central. "It's a guy who I thought was too big of a contract to move right at the deadline. But he's got familiarity there, he's won a Cup there. Nate (MacKinnon) loves him. Nate wants him there... He fills so many holes, it's an absolute luxury for this Colorado team."

Kadri, of course, helped lead the Avs to the Stanley Cup back in 2022, before signing as a free agent with the Calgary Flames.

The 35-year-old said he was sweating it out today waiting to see if they got the trade in under the buzzer.

Nazem Kadri to @tsnjamesduthie on TSN TradeCentre about his deal to the #Avs coming more than 60 minutes after the deadline: "An absolute sweat. I didn't even know it could happen that long after."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 6, 2026

He also told TSN that Colorado was “the team at the very top of my list,” and pretty much the only team he would want to leave Calgary for.

He returns to Colorado, though a few years older, still a perfect fit for that team. For a playoff addition, it doesn't get better than this for the Avalanche. In his two big playoff runs with the Avs in 2020 and 2023, Kadri recorded 33 points in 31 games, with 16 goals and a +10 rating. He brings that gritty, nasty edge that true contenders need in the playoffs.

He will also help out the power play, which has been the Avs' only weak spot this season. They lead the Central Division (and the entire NHL) with a 41-10-9 mark for 91 points. They lead the Dallas Stars by six points and the Minnesota Wild by nine.

Kadri does have another three years to run on what will now be a $5.6 million cap hit for Colorado.