REPORT: Insider reveals 3 other teams WANTED Nazem Kadri - Did Kadri make WRONG decision?

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Ryan
November 2, 2022 (3:25 PM)

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Nazem Kadri was fresh off winning a Stanley Cup when he entered free agency this year, he was considered the top center available and the second best player behind Johnny Gaudreau.

Kadri had a career year last season, scoring 87 points in 71 games, and then added 15 points in 16 playoff games to help the Colorado Avalanche win a Stanley Cup.

He signed with the Calgary Flames this offseason after it looked like he had overpriced himself out of the market. In the end on August 18th, he signed a 7 year deal with an AAV of $7,000,000.

While it took awhile to get Kadri under contract, all the reports were that Kadri had priced himself out of the market, but apparently that was not the case.

NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun revealed that multiple teams were interested in him:

Pierre LeBrun reported earlier in the summer that Kadri had turned down a six-year contract with an annual average value of $8.5 million. His father, Sam, revealed that the Islanders, Rangers and Blue Jackets were among the teams that showed interest in his son.

"Pierre LeBrun reported earlier in the summer that Kadri had turned down a six-year contract with an annual average value of $8.5 million. His father, Sam, revealed that the Islanders, Rangers and Blue Jackets were among the teams that showed interest in his son." https://t.co/LUUdCynj7y� Andrew Mangiapane is the best Breadman (@FieryBreadman) November 1, 2022

While if it wasn't just about money and it was about winning, you could easily make an argument as to why he would turn down offers from the Blue Jackets and Islanders after both missed the playoffs last year, but it seems very foolish to have turned down a contract offer from the Rangers.

With the departure of Strome in New York, that would have given Kadri the opportunity to play with Artemi Panarin.