NHL free agency analysis: Nazem Kadri’s decision matters

We’re approaching the two-week mark from the start of free agency on July 13. Nazem Kadri was one of many superstars who would be watching the market and seeing what was available to him. He is still looking at the market to see if any team will meet his demands.

Still wanting a big 7x$9 AAV contract, Kadri still knows his worth and wants to keep showing it. She seems to be waiting for anyone who can pay her the value and salary that she desires. There is a lot of drama that allows this heist to continue. Not too long ago, Elliotte Friedman stated on her podcast that the group of teams had been reduced to three and eventually two, excluding the winnipeg jets from the list below.

There were also rumors that the calgary flames offered him a contract similar to the one he was looking for, but it was eventually found to be a fake. However, Calgary can still play a big part in this act after losing their two star players: johnny gaudreau towards Columbus Blue Jackets Y Matthew Tkachuk towards florida panthers.

With both players leaving Alberta separately, the Flames open up a lot of salary-cap space. Even after receiving Johnathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar from the Florida Panthers, they still have a projected $9.3M, according to CapFriendly, to pay someone like Naz.

With the situation on the Flames, they may seem bleak, but if they manage to pick up Kadri, it would lift their spirits and their chances of making the playoffs again. Acting in them is another story, however. Kadri has long spoken since this decision to test free agency that he wanted to be on a competitive team, that some might argue Calgary doesn’t fall into that category.

This brings us back to the colorado avalanche – who will continue to have his championship window open for the next two years. As he looks to go back-to-back this coming season, it gives Kadri something to think about if he wants to be on such a competitive team.

Kadri has seen the most success of her career in the Avalanche uniform. He just finished a career year that saw him lift the Stanley Cup even through racism and injury. Why change now? Why not continue with the atmosphere and environment that you already know? That’s the argument some fans are making, and it’s not a bad one. He loved life in the parade, but even then, his speech made him look like he was saying goodbye.

Photo by Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

However, as we all know, it’s not physically possible to keep Kadri with just $3.9 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly. There would have to be some movement outside the organization for it to work. If Kadri is paid a hefty deal, say Chris MacFarland talks him into a $6×8.25 million deal after kicking a player like Sam Girard off the team, he’s ruined by future salary-cap hits from the Avs and upcoming renovations, specifically the new big thing coming to Nathan MacKinnon.

The longer this goes on, the less likely it seems the Avs will be able to retain the services of the 32-year-old centre-back. Supposedly, Kadri has been resisting making any decisions waiting to see what the Avalanche can do to bring him back. Nazem and Colorado have their hands tied behind their backs, waiting for the other’s next move. Colorado would be forced to play a hand the front office doesn’t want to play if he wants to keep Kadri. Meanwhile, Naz’s options are dwindling over who will want to pay him that much money, let alone pay him that much on a competitive team.

Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Will Kadri back down and maybe look to take less money and have more options available, or will he continue to stay strong and know his worth and have his demands met by some teams, even if they aren’t competitive? Will Colorado break through and make moves that make it financially possible to lure Naz back to Ball Arena? Kadri is the last “big name” left in the market after Tkachuk’s move on Friday night. He’s also holding off the rest of the center market for the likes of Paul Stastny, waiting to see where No. 91 ends up going.

So where does Naz end up? She is up in the air at this point. The media seems dark on the Kadri situation, so we don’t get many updates on this fluid situation. At this point, he could surprise us all and announce a deal in the next few days, or we may have to wait until training camp in September.

If this is all for Naz’s time in Colorado, it was a hot run, and at least he got his Cup. If Kadri returns, will it be worth it? Will she be at the same level he was last season? Where do we think/hope it will be if she leaves? Will we look at it the same way we did here in Colorado? Let us know all that and more in the comments below.