NHL Trade Rumors: Western Conference Contenders Jump to Front of the Queue For Nazem Kadri Trade
Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri’s name has been circulating in trade rumors for weeks, and the chatter isn’t slowing down. Even with the Flames riding a three-game winning streak, capped by a wild 7-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, the team still sits second-last in the Pacific Division.
With the Flames’ playoff chances are slim, speculation is growing about Calgary moving key players, and one Western Conference team has already been linked to Kadri in the trade rumor mill.
Western Conference Team Showing Strong Interest in Nazem Kadri
One of the teams reportedly interested is the Dallas Stars, a strong Western Conference contender sitting second in the Central Division with a 21-5-5 record.
An unexpected blow has created a significant gap in the Stars’ lineup. Dallas’ centre Tyler Seguin is expected to miss the rest of the season due to an ACL injury suffered in a collision with Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. His absence leaves the Stars thin at centre, and according to Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos, Kadri has become a natural target.
“Tyler Seguin is yet to have surgery, but his season-ending injury has opened a bit of a hole in the Stars’ lineup,” Kypreos explained. “So now they are becoming a likely destination for Nazem Kadri should he get traded.
Despite the buzz, Kypreos emphasized that this isn’t a deal that’s about to happen overnight.
“This also doesn’t appear to be an urgent deal to get done,” he said. “The Flames are still not ready to give up on the season and have said they’re not looking to trade Kadri, so things won’t start taking off until Kadri is ready to go to management and tell them it’s time to move on. No indication he’s even close to doing that yet, if at all.”
Nazem Kadri is now in the fourth year of his seven-year, $49 million contract and has consistently maintained that he wants to stay in Calgary and help the team turn things around.
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If the Stars place Seguin on long-term injured reserve, they would gain access to his full $9.85 million cap hit in relief. That opens the door for a wide range of options, including Kadri, whose $7 million cap hit would fit cleanly under the LTIR cushion.
With the trade deadline still months away on March 6, 2026, both sides have time to figure things out. The Flames aren’t looking to move Kadri, and he hasn’t asked out either. Dallas, meanwhile, is still gauging how to navigate the stretch run without Seguin.
