REPORT: Nazem Kadri turned down a LOT more money from another team in free agency

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Ryan
September 14, 2022 (9:03 PM)

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The best center available in the 2022 Free Agency was Nazem Kadri, who was fresh off of winning a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.

Kadri was coming off a career high in points, scoring 87 points in 71 games, then following it up with 15 points in 16 playoff games.

Coming off a career high and a Stanley Cup, Kadri was hoping to hit it big in free agency on what could possibly be his last NHL contract, but after a month, ended up signing for less money than he was originally looking for, taking a 7-year deal worth $49,000,000 in total with the Calgary Flames.

But this wasn't Kadri's only offer, NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun reported that Kadri turned down a 6 year deal worth $51,000,000 with another NHL team.

Kadri, meanwhile, is believed to have turned down a six-year offer from another club worth $8.5 million AAV pretty early in free agency. The fit obviously wasn't right for him.

I also think given Kadri's relationship with his old GM in Toronto, Lou Lamoriello, that some of the wait- and-see approach was seeing if the Islanders would be able to move cap space and make Kadri a contract offer. There was definitely interest in Kadri from the Islanders.

Ferris, when contacted this week, would not disclose what other teams were in on Kadri, beyond saying it came down to three clubs before his client chose the Flames. Once Treliving realized he had a real shot at Kadri, he dug in hard.

Pierre LeBrun says Kadri turned down 6-year, $8.5M a year deal from a team at the start of free agency. pic.twitter.com/5kyzQ60bD0� Andrew Mangiapane is the best Breadman (@FieryBreadman) September 14, 2022