Rumours regarding Nazem Kadri’s return to the Toronto Maple Leafs just won’t go away.
The entire hockey world is abuzz with the possibility of the Leafs and Calgary Flames striking a deal that could send the Toronto Maple Leafs seventh-overall pick from 2009 back to where it all began.
Notable insider Jeff Marek appeared on the Flames Nation podcast, discussing the possibility of a Leafs-Flames deal involving Kadri.
Marek pointed out that Kadri’s return to Toronto makes sense as the Leafs clearly have a need for a center. Given his age, however, his declining play, as well as his large and long-term salary, Kadri is not really a suitable choice for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The main reason: Kadri has a $7 million cap hit. As it stands, the Leafs cannot afford to take on Kadri’s contract. Some salary cap voodoo would need to happen before the Leafs could bring Kadri back into the fold, but given that Kadri is 34 and comes with so much baggage, it just may not be worth it.
One key point stood out amid Marek’s comments. Marek pointed out that dealing for Kadri might make more sense for the Leafs next season than this one. With Tavares’ cap hit coming off the books, the Leafs could more easily afford to take on Kadri’s contract. Though that is true, why they'd want another 34 year old centre with Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan both presumably on next year's roster, is anyone's guess.
In short, trading for Kadri doesn't make a ton of sense, as fun and exciting as it would be.
Making sense of a Toronto Maple Leafs deal for Nazem Kadri
Now, I’d like to pause for a moment. Most Leafs fans will recall how Kadri’s reckless behaviour put the Leafs in tough spots two seasons in a row. In both instances, Kadri got suspended for illegal hits during the Leafs-Bruins series in 2018 and 2019.
Following Kadri’s suspension in 2019, Leafs Nation demanded Kadri’s head, and management gave it to them. Kadri was shipped to the Colorado Avalanche in a deal that didn’t work out too well for the Leafs.
While it seems Kadri has toned down his game just a tad, there’s no telling how Leafs Nation would react to his return to the Blue and White. Perhaps time heals all wounds. Perhaps Leafs Nation has let go of Kadri’s trespasses and is ready to give him a second chance.
Kadri is no better than a third-line center at this point. In fact, Tavares and Kadri are both 34. Kadri is not an upgrade over Tavares, nor is he a second-line center who could support Auston Matthews long-term.
The Leafs need a star player, and Kadri isn't that any longer. It's time to look elsewhere for help.
In the end, getting Kadri could just be an expensive experiment in trying to rekindle something that may not be there anymore. The Leafs should pass on Kadri and focus more on the future.