Could Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman pull off one more trick by signing free agent C Nazem Kadri?
According to Adam Gretz of NBC Sports, Kadri was the No. 2 ranked free agent heading into the free agency period and he is the top remaining free agent at this time.
During the 2021-22 season, Kadri scored 28 goals and dished out 59 assists in 71 games with the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.
Detroit Red Wings linked to top free agent Nazem Kadri
Here is some of what Greg Wyshynski of ESPN and Mike Stephens of The Hockey News have to say about the Detroit Red Wings being a fit for Nazem Kadri. Make sure to click on the links to read everything they had to say.
From ESPN:
Does Kadri fit into the Yzer plan? Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has made some money moves in the offseason, signing David Perron ($4.75 million AAV), Andrew Copp ($5.625 million AAV), Ben Chiarot ($4.75 million), Dominik Kubalik ($2.5 million AAV) and Olli Maatta ($2.25 million AAV) in free agency and trading for goalie Ville Husso. That’s an entire starting lineup!
The Red Wings still have the flexibility this season to bring in Kadri and then have a bunch of players coming off their cap in 2023-24. If they don’t have to go too long in term with Kadri, he makes a lot of sense. Kadri slots in behind Dylan Larkin as the No. 2 center. Copp could fill that role or shift to the wing or drop down to No. 3 center — his versatility made him a trade deadline darling last season.
From The Hockey News:
Detroit’s rebuild is over. You don’t sign Ville Husso, Andrew Copp, David Perron, Ben Chiarot, Olli Maata, and Mark Pysyk all in the same offseason if you’re looking to lose.
These Red Wings mean business once again, boasting a decent young core that is now supported by useful veterans while currently sitting with over $10 million in cap space even after their summer signing spree.
A top-nine headlined down the middle by Kadri, Larkin, and Copp looks pretty good to me. All that’s left is to reel their big fish in.
Detroit seems to offer everything Kadri could be looking for in a landing spot with whom he’d be spending the remaining years of his prime.
Nation, would you like to see the Detroit Red Wings add Nazem Kadri to the mix?