Bold headline: Kadri may be headed back to Colorado, and the clock is ticking fast. And this is the part most people miss: the path from whispers to a blockbuster move can hinge on a single meeting or a single cap calculation.
As the trade deadline nears, rumors are heating up around the league, with teams clearly separating into buyers and sellers. The Colorado Avalanche remain active buyers, sitting at the top of the standings and boasting one of the league’s strongest one-two centers in Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson. Yet even with that elite duo, Colorado is still weighing the need for a solid third-line centerman, a topic under discussion as Friday’s deadline approaches.
Reports from Chris Johnston (TSN, The Athletic, and SDPN) indicate that talks between the Avalanche and Calgary Flames have intensified. Colorado’s front office—GM Chris MacFarland, assistant GM Kevin McDonald, and Andrew Cogliano, assistant to the GM—was present for Calgary’s game in Anaheim on Sunday. Colorado is currently in southern California, slated to face the Los Angeles Kings on Monday and the Ducks on Tuesday. That proximity could mean simple timing, or it could signal something more substantial in the works.
Johnston noted on the SDPN podcast that the discussions are heating up. He observed that the Avalanche front office, already familiar with Nazem Kadri from his previous stint in Colorado, were not chasing him across the country, but their presence at the Flames’ game hints at deeper interest. Kadri’s recent performance—strong OT presence, a decisive shootout goal, and solid play since the Olympic break—adds to the intrigue.
Colorado’s trade window perspective is sharpened by a recent cap maneuver: the Avs traded Samuel Girard and his $5 million cap hit (plus a pick) to Pittsburgh for Brett Kulak at $2.75 million, freeing roughly $5 million in cap space and pushing their available room to slightly above $9.8 million. This financial wiggle room, combined with the potential activation of Logan O’Connor from long-term injury reserve, keeps Colorado positioned to pursue a third-line center if it makes sense.
The timing is delicate. Kadri, who signed with Calgary in August 2022 after a Cup-winning season with Colorado but a cap-driven stalemate prevented a reunion, is now in the fourth year of a seven-year deal worth $7 million per season. At 35, with three years left on the deal, there are questions about fit and long-term cost, especially given the salary-cap pressure the Avalanche will face as star players like Cale Makar approach higher cap figures.
Johnston says Kadri’s status feels increasingly movable, but the path is narrow. The Avs appear to be in the running, yet the situation remains fluid—potentially down to a single phone call that could alter everything in an instant. While Colorado could be at the front of the line, the actual trade hinges on complex cap considerations and how Calgary values retention at this point in Kadri’s contract.
Adding another option, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has floated the possibility that Kadri to Colorado might be difficult without Calgary’s willingness to retain, given looming cap increases and Makar’s impending salary rise. Friedman even suggested a rental fit in Scott Laughton of the Maple Leafs, who would be a more affordable, short-term solution for Colorado if a Kadri deal proves unattainable.
Bottom line: Kadri remains a tantalizing option for the Avalanche, but the calculus is intricate. With cap space, retention, and whether Calgary likes a bargain rental or a longer-term asset on the table, this storyline may unfold in unexpected ways over the next 24 to 48 hours. The only certainty is that Colorado’s front office is watching closely, positioned to pounce if a deal makes sense—and the rest of the league is watching, too.
What do you think: should Colorado push hard for Kadri regardless of cap hurdles, or pivot to a rental like Scott Laughton to address the third-line center role without long-term risk? Share your take in the comments.
