If there was one trade that Colorado Avalanche fans wanted to happen this season, it was Nazem Kadri. The Avalanche seemed quite close to completing a deal. Kadri was one of the key drivers during the 2022 Stanley Cup run and would have been a good addition as a third-line center.

The reason for Kadri

Calgary has made it no secret that it is selling. They dealt MacKenzie Weegar in exchange for Olli Maatta, Jonathan Castagna and a slew of picks. I mentioned Blake Coleman as another option for the Avs. But Kadri would provide speed in the third-line center spot and could still be a threat to score. He has fallen off on the production side of things, but that could be because of the team he is on. He would be a threat on the power play and could slide in on the top unit if the Avs needed him to.

The issue

The main issue with bringing over Kadri would have been his salary. He makes $7 million through the 2028–29 season, so he would have been way too expensive. If the Avs have Logan O’Connor come back and they pay out Brent Burns’ bonuses, they are almost out of money as it is. As mentioned in the video, the Avalanche wanted salary retention for Kadri. They even offered a first-round pick and a top-six forward (Ross Colton is my guess), but Calgary turned it down.


It was at this point that the Avalanche moved on to working a deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs in acquiring Nic Roy. The new Av slows down the third-line a bit, but he brings Stanley Cup experience with him.

Had the Avalanche gained Kadri, there might have been an issue with salary in the coming years. There is no telling how much the Avs wanted the Flames to retain, but if it was enough for them to reject a first-round pick, it had to be a lot. In the end, the move for Roy makes the Avalanche a heavier team and harder to play against. And that is exactly what they need during the playoffs.