Star center willing to lift no-move clause for return to Leafs

A potential trade candidate to fill a top-six forward role appears willing to return to Toronto.
Mar 31, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (91) before the game against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Mar 31, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (91) before the game against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After commenting earlier in the week about trade speculation about a potential return to the Toronto Maple Leafs, it appears sought-after center Nazem Kadri is willing to take things a step further.

Sportsnet insider Nick Kypreos revealed the information in his latest "Off-season Trade Board." He stated that the Maple Leafs are among a group of four teams under the most intense pressure to add a game-changing forward.

The most intriguing revelation was that Kadri would be willing to waive his no-movement clause for the team that drafted him in the first round, 7th overall, during the 2009 NHL Draft.

""Two teams that Kadri continues to be linked to that he appears willing to lift his no-move clause for are the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.""
Nick Kypreos

Kypreos states that several teams are looking for help at center, especially after John Tavares resigned with the Leafs before hitting the open market. Kypreos opines that "Kadri's stock has never been higher" if Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy decides to deal.

Still Many Roadblocks to Leafs-Kadri Reunion

The speculation of Kadri returning to the Maple Leafs has intensified since the departure of star winger Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights. The sign-and-trade of the Leafs' fifth all-time points leader left the team with a gaping hole among their top-six forwards.

Maple Leafs' general manager Brad Treliving also stated the need to acquire someone capable of playing on the first two lines. That, combined with Treliving's stated desire to change the team's DNA, has intensified the speculation surrounding the Leafs' potential interest in Kadri.

Kadri would bring the grit and goal scoring that Treliving and head coach Craig Berube covet. He scored a career-high 35 goals last season and has scored over one hundred goals in the past four seasons.

Kadri plays with an edge that is valuable in the playoffs, and that the Leafs could desperately use. Ironically, it was that feistiness that caused the Maple Leafs' former management to trade away the center after back-to-back detrimental suspensions in the playoffs.

Over time, Kadri has found some maturity and balance in his game and was a key member of the Colorado Avalanche's Stanley Cup victory in 2022. Treliving, then as general manager of the Flames, signed Kadri to his current seven-year deal with a $7 million AAV.

A lot would need to happen for Kadri to return to Toronto. The Maple Leafs have limited resources to offer the Flames in a deal. Plus, Conroy is in no rush to trade away his top center from a team that just missed the playoffs last year. The majority of the 2025-2026 season will have to play out before anything comes of this potential transaction.

A Kadri return to the Toronto Maple Leafs would invigorate the team and its fan base. It's currently a long-shot proposition, but Kadri has further opened the door to the possibility.