The Toronto Maple Leafs are among the teams looking to bring back their former star, Nazem Kadri, according to Darren Dreger. A reunion with their former first-round-pick could be what the Leafs need to push them over the edge.
Darren Dreger: Re Nazem Kadri: I would say there's developing interest, there's some tire kicking from Toronto, Montreal, Colorado, LA, maybe the Stars; there's no rush as far as Calgary's concerned - Insider Trading (1/20)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) January 21, 2026
Reports on the Kadri trade
Darren Dreger also mentioned during Tuesday's edition of That's Hockey that the Flames are listening to offers on Kadri but are in no rush to move him. The initial teams that have seemed interested are the Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, and possibly the Dallas Stars. Dreger also noted that he has spoken with Kadri's camp about a potential trade.
For the Maple Leafs, adding a player of the likes of Kadri could be huge to save this season. Kadri could slide in perfectly as the Leafs' second-line centre to replace an aging John Tavares alongside Matthew Knies and Matias Maccelli. He fits in Craig Berube's mould; he is tough to play against, plays direct, is a physical player, and adds some scoring touch to the top-six. With the Flames this season, Kadri has produced 34 points, including nine goals in 49 games played. He isn't the type of player who will score you 80+ points; however, he is a versatile centre who can play in all areas of the ice.
Maple Leafs miss out on players already this season
The Maple Leafs have missed out on players already this season, and can't afford to make the same mistake. During the beginning stages of the season, they weren't able to complete a trade for Mason Marchment, followed by Yegor Chinakov, and most recently, Rasmus Andersson and Kiefer Sherwood. This deal may be hard for the Maple Leafs to pull off, but one that they need to try and complete. Kadri currently has three years left on his $49 million deal with an aav of $7 million. The Maple Leafs will not be able to make this trade unless they have Dakota Joshua, Matias Maccelli, or Max Domi going the other way. The Maple Leafs will also need the Flames to retain some of their cap space, as they will likely want to make a few deals closer to the trade deadline as well.
There is no saying on what the Flames are currently asking for, as it seems both Kadri and general manager Craig Conroy are in no rush to make this trade happen. With the Flames currently sitting towards the bottom of the Western Conference, and the Leafs trying to make a splash to get back into the playoff race we could see a deal happen between the two teams in the near future.