That Nazem Kadri rumour that just won’t go away

A reunion between Nazem Kadri and the Toronto Maple Leafs could be much closer than most fans think. During a recent appearance on The Leaf Report podcast, Kadri spoke with James Mirtle and Jonas Siegel as part of Kadri’s promo tour for his memoir entitled, “Dreamer: My Life on the Edge.”

In his memoir, Nazem Kadri reflects on his career, including the 10 years he spent within the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. During that time, Kadri encountered a number of challenges. Among them, are the suspensions in back-to-back playoff series against the Boston Bruins.

Those suspensions eventually prompted Leafs management to ship Nazem Kadri to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Tyson Barrie and Alex Kerfoot. The deal is unpopular and most would list it among the worst the Leafs have made - and no doubt losing Kadri was a massive blow. However, it should be noted that Kerfoot was a very good and player for the Leafs for a very long time and that players like him are extremely underrated.

Regardless, during the interview, Kadri was asked if he would be willing to come back to Toronto. To which Kadri replied that it was “something you wouldn’t close the door on.”

In other words, Kadri would be willing to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, Kadri didn’t explicitly state what that return would be like. After all, a return to Toronto doesn’t necessarily imply him returning as a player. Or, could he?

The bottom line is that Kadri’s fondness for Toronto is unmistakable. He’s got meaningful connections to the city. So, there’s a chance that Kadri could be back in Toronto sooner than most people think.

Nazem Kadri staying put in Calgary for the time being

Heading into this season, plenty of speculation surrounded the Calgary Flames regarding a potential fire sale. But with the Flames playing much better than anticipated, GM Craig Conroy has slammed the brakes on a potential fire sale; at least for the moment.

If anything, the Flames might be looking to add, especially if they are within the fringes of the playoff race. As such, it would seem that Kadri stays put in Calgary for the time being.

Now, we’ve explored the possibility of Kadri coming back to the Leafs as a player in the past. He could be a solid third-line centre, potentially filling in on the top line while Auston Matthews is on IR. But then again, Kadri comes with a $7 million cap hit, is the same age as John Tavares, and would be the Leafs 3rd best centre (though that is a position they desperately need).

That cap hit is too rich for the Leafs blood at the moment, however, later in the season, with 50% retained, it might just be a perfect fit. Certainly Kadri would be.

While some fans would like to see Kadri back (myself included), the fact is that Kadri's deal has four more years to run, and it might be hard to get teams to retain salary for that long. Without retained salary it likely is a bad move - though it could put the Leafs over the top.

Ultimately, Kadri stays in Calgary as long as the Flames have a reasonable shot to make the playoffs. But if the Flames were to fall out of contention by New Year’s, there could be a chance that the Flames might be enticed to move Kadri for the right price.