Nazem Kadri thinks his Flames are just warming up
Kadri #Kadri
Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri believes his first NHL team — the Maple Leafs — will get over the playoffs hump one day.
“It takes a long time to figure out how to win, and you need some luck as well,” Kadri said. “They’ve got great players and they’ve got a great team and a great dressing room, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they figure it out.”
Kadri was drafted by the Leafs in 2009 and was on four playoff teams that failed to get out of the first round. He was traded to Colorado in 2019 and won the Cup there last year, brining the trophy to Toronto and his hometown of London to celebrate.
“That felt amazing, felt full circle,” he said. “That’s something I’m very appreciative of.”
The Leafs tried to trade Kadri to Calgary four years ago. He nixed the deal, setting in motion the trade to Colorado for Alex Kerfoot and Tyson Barrie. Now Kadri is in Calgary, after all, signing seven-year, $49-million (U.S.) deal as a free agent last summer.
“It’s been a pretty seamless transition,” he said. “The people are great. The food’s great. I really enjoy the guys on the team. It’s been fun being (in Calgary).”
Kadri has always carried a positive mindset but he and his current team have to be worried about getting over the hump this season. As play resumed following the all-star break, the Flames were outside of a wild-card spot, tied with Colorado, the second wild card in the West, with 57 points but having played two games more.
They had won three of their last four games before the break.
“We’re starting to find a groove, which is nice, and it takes some time,” Kadri said. “We’ve probably had the biggest turnover of any team in the league, so it takes time to get used to (each other). But now it’s crunch time, 30 games left. We like that we’re in the fight and it’s time to try to solidify ourselves.”
While Kadri has adjusted to life in Calgary — he had 19 goals and 19 assists in 50 games before facing the Rangers on Monday — the team’s other big acquisition has struggled. Jonathan Huberdeau, who tied for second in league scoring with Florida last season, had just 10 goals and 23 assists at the break. The trade to Calgary, for Matthew Tkachuk, and the contract extension (eight years, $84 million) that seemed destined for Johnny Gaudreau, before he left for Columbus, seem to have weighed on Huberdeau. Kadri believes in his teammate.
“It’s a challenge and I appreciate that he doesn’t quit,” Kadri said. “That’s probably the most important quality to have. He might gripping his stick a little to tight now but I think, in the end, he’s going to be able to find his groove.”
To borrow a phrase, the Western Conference is a bit like the wild West. Wide open. Entering Monday, only 12 points separated the No. 1 team (Dallas, 66 points) from the 10th-place team (Nashville, 54).
“It’s probably the most fun that way, really,” Kadri said. “Five or six points separate first, fifth or sixth in our division. So it’s always fun when you’re in the hunt. We’ve got an opportunity to be in the top three top teams and we haven’t even played close to our best. So you know that’s a positive sign.”
Flames GM Brad Treliving gave an interview to NHL.com where he said he’d like to add at the trade deadline March 3, but with a proviso.
“We’d like to add to our team, but the most critical part is where your team’s at, right?” Treliving said. “We’ve got some work to do to get ourselves into a better position than we currently are. We’ve been up and down. There’s been some inconsistency to our game. It’s hard to sit here and start making any proclamations about what you’re going to do at the deadline. We continue to watch our team.
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The Flames have a lot invested in Huberdeau and Kadri. Huberdeau will be 37 in the final year of his extension, Kadri will be 39. The Leafs’ Mark Giordano is the only skater in the NHL that old right now.
“LeBron (James, the 38-year-old Lakers star) is up there, too,” Kadri said. “Still putting up crazy numbers.
“I don’t know how great I’d be (at that age). We’ll have to find out. It’s just so hard on the body. I couldn’t imagine how he (LeBron) feels waking up in the morning after a game. He manages his body well, so you got to do that.”
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