The Montreal Canadiens resumed their season on Thursday night, looking to further solidify a playoff spot. The Canadiens have an opportunity to do just with the trade deadline approaching in a week's time. Even though Montreal is one of the top scoring teams in the league, they have been a name surfacing on the center market. One name they have been linked to a lot is Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames.
Kadri has a 13-team no-trade clause, and recent reporting indicates that he is willing to accept a trade to the Canadiens. It really is up to Flames General Manager Craig Conroy to finalize a trade. As it turns out, the Canadiens may need to wait, and it could affect their trade deadline plans.
The Athletic NHL insider Pierre LeBrun noted in his recent "NHL trade rumblings" article that the Flames and Conroy might wait to see what the Nashville Predators get in return for Ryan O'Reilly, as he is a comparable No. 2 center as Kadri. That would, in turn, hold things up for the Canadiens and any other team interested in Kadri.
NHL insider suggests Canadiens or other interested teams in Nazem Kadri might be stuck waiting on Ryan O'Reilly
"It probably makes sense for Calgary to see what happens with O’Reilly in Nashville before getting a better sense of the market return for a comparable No. 2 center," writes LeBrun. "O’Reilly’s contract (one more year at $4.5 million) is more appealing, so the domino would make sense with O’Reilly going first to set the price."
That is certainly not ideal for teams interested in Kadri. Let's not forget that the deadline is on March 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET, so there's not much time for a team like the Canadiens to wait.
For O'Reilly, he doesn't hold a no-trade clause, but the Predators are treating it as if he does have one. They are allowing O'Reilly to choose where he would like to be traded to. But, LeBrun notes in his article that O'Reilly's priority in his return to game action is to help lead Nashville to the playoffs, and he and his family like it in the area. So it's not necessarily a given that he is going to get traded.
Kadri is in the midst of a seven-year, $49 million contract, and he has three more seasons remaining on the deal after this campaign. So, teams will have to take that into account, as LeBrun mentions. But, Kadri does provide playoff experience, as he has 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) in 52 career playoff games with the Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs.
For the Canadiens, they have a young core that is winning games right now. But with the Atlantic Division being as tough as it is, adding a second-line center with playoff experience could do wonders for the team. It's up to Hughes to decide if what they are giving up for a player is worth it in the long run.
While Kadri seems like a perfect fit for the Canadiens, they will have to play the waiting game as the Flames gauge what they can get in return for the veteran forward.