Insider Doubles Down on Nazem Kadri Potentially Returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs

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Chris Gerics
December 3, 2024 (8:00 PM)

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The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta doubled down on the rumor that Nazem Kadri is coming to Toronto however it might be a bit of a pipedream.

A lot of rumor and speculation has surrounded the possibility of Nazem Kadri coming back to the Toronto Maple Leafs in order to bring them closer to their coveted Stanley Cup; the first in over 50 years for the team.

The possibility of Kadri coming to Toronto is an exciting one, as not only can he bring the offense and scoring that the Leafs need, but a veteran coming back to the team he was drafted by. However, according to David Pagnotta, the Maple Leafs may be waiting a bit until they re-acquire their former 7th overall pick.

"I don't know how readily available Naz would be right now. My sense at the Draft and around the Draft in late June and early July afterwards was that he would be open to a return here."

It would be a great addition for Kadri to rejoin the Maple Leafs after maturing and growing as a player. He got a lot of flak during his time with Toronto because of what was perceived as attitude problems, but it might have something to do with the secrecy the team had when it came to Kadri.

Traded to Colorado after a vetoed trade to Calgary and almost immediately before his child was born, Kadri understandably had a bit of resentment for the organization for how they handled the situation, as outlined in his autobiography 'Dreamer: My Life On The Edge'.

"Kadri had not been informed by the Leafs that he was being shopped to Calgary. It was his agent who broke the news, explaining that the Flames were interested in a deal. However, Calgary was on Kadri's 12-team no-trade list, and he vetoed the move."

Eventually, Kadri was traded to the Colorado Avalanche-a team not on his no-trade list, meaning he couldn't block the move. Just days after the trade, Kadri's wife gave birth, and they had to quickly relocate to Colorado with their newborn."

With new management in charge, perhaps Kadri will be more forgiving and be open to a reunion, something the forward eluded to earlier this season:

"I mean, who knows? I would definitely not put that out of the equation for sure. Everybody knows how I feel about the city and the team, and I've got lots of friends there, but it's certainly something you wouldn't close the door on."

Kadri coming back would add another dimension to both Toronto's offense and defense. A consistent scoring threat, Kadri has 15 points so far in 25 games for an average Flames team figuring out their future plans. For his career, he has 658 points as well as 44 points in 52 playoff games, a huge boost for the Leafs.

He's also a fantastic center who can win faceoffs, play solid defense and kill penalties. At a nearly 50% winning percentage for his career, Kadri would bring something Toronto has sorely lacked, and GM Brad Treliving's been on the lookout for.

The only issue here is the contract situation, as Kadri is going to be paid $7M for the next three seasons and it's hard to imagine Toronto committing so much when they have other issues to worry about, but a Stanley Cup run might ease any concerns they may have.

If Toronto can pull off a blockbuster trade, it will no doubt shake up the NHL and their chances of making the Cup Finals, but it comes at a cost, and it might end up costing them more than just money in the coming years.