The hockey rumor mill is swirling once again, and this time, it’s Montreal that finds itself at the center of a potential blockbuster. Veteran forward Nazem Kadri, fresh off another productive season with the Calgary Flames, is reportedly open to joining the Canadiens—a move that could send shockwaves through the NHL.

With Kadri willing to waive his no-move clause, fans and insiders alike are speculating about what it might take to bring the Stanley Cup champion to Montreal, and whether Kent Hughes should pull the trigger on such a deal.

As the Canadiens continue to reshape their roster, the possibility of acquiring Kadri raises intriguing questions: What assets would they need to sacrifice, and would the payoff be worth the price?

A fan-generated trade proposal has already sparked heated debate, but the real story may be even more complicated. With multiple star players linked to Montreal in recent weeks, and the team’s management reportedly keeping a close eye on the market, the stakes have never been higher.

Could Kadri be the missing piece in Montreal’s puzzle, or would the cost prove too steep? The answer remains tantalizingly out of reach—and could change the course of the Canadiens’ future.

Montreal Canadiens Logo (left) Nazem Kadri (middle) Calgary Flames Logo (right)

Photo credit: All Habs

Nazem Kadri may have played his last game with the Calgary Flames, and the forward would like to play for the Canadiens.

One fan decided to propose an interesting trade to bring the veteran to Montreal, and we’ve decided to share their suggestion to get your opinion.

At 34 years old, Nazem Kadri is preparing for his 16th NHL season. He has played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Colorado Avalanche-winning the Stanley Cup with them in 2022-and the Calgary Flames.

The London, Ontario native probably isn’t Kent Hughes’ top target, and Hughes remains very active on the trade market after acquiring Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc earlier this summer. However, according to Nick Kypreos, Kadri would like to play for the Habs and is willing to waive his no move clause.

In 2024-25, the center recorded 35 goals and 67 points in 82 games. The year before, he tallied 29 goals and 75 points. Looking at his stats, he hasn’t missed a single game since the 2021-22 season.

For the past few weeks, the names of several other players have been linked to the Canadiens, including Marco Rossi, Mason McTavish, Jordan Kyrou, and Pavel Zacha. According to recent reports, Hughes is especially keeping a close eye on the McTavish situation.

A trade sending Mike Matheson to the Calgary Flames for forward Nazem Kadri

On social media, one fan shared a trade idea that would allow the Habs to acquire Kadri.

According to them, Kent Hughes would send veteran defenseman Mike Matheson along with Filip Mesar, a first-round pick (26th overall) by the Montreal organization in the 2022 NHL Draft. He would also add a 7th-round pick in 2027.

 

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It’s true that Matheson has decent value on the market, but we believe Craig Conroy will ask for a lot more in return for his forward-especially since Kadri just scored 35 goals last season and is under contract at $7,000,000 annually through 2028-29.

If the 7th-round pick were replaced by a 1st-round pick, alongside Mike Matheson and Filip Mesar, this proposal would make a bit more sense in our eyes. What do you think? What would you offer to acquire Kadri?