Nazem Kadri Trade Rumors Connect Him to New Jersey Devils

Nazem Kadri has been linked to the New Jersey Devils in recent trade speculation. While no official negotiations have been confirmed, a report by Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet identified New Jersey as one of five teams where Kadri could be a fit. The other four teams listed were the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes, and Colorado Avalanche. Dixon’s assessment is speculative in nature, not based on any confirmed discussions.

The Devils are in need of a third-line center. Kadri, currently playing in a top-six role for the Calgary Flames, would not take over the roles of Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier. Instead, his addition would address the team’s stated need for depth at center. In the 2024–25 NHL season, Kadri scored 35 goals and totaled 67 points. According to the source, Dawson Mercer is the Devils’ best current option for the third-line center position, but Mercer finished the season with 20 goals and 36 points while primarily playing as a top-six winger.

Kadri, 34 years old, is under contract with the Flames through the 2026–27 season at a salary of $7 million per year. He has a full no-move clause that extends until July 1, 2026, meaning he would need to approve any trade.

The Flames missed the playoffs last season and are characterized as a team that is rebuilding “on the fly.” Trading Kadri could help them recoup assets, and the potential exists for another transaction between Calgary and New Jersey. Flames General Manager Craig Conroy and Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald previously completed a trade involving goaltender Jacob Markstrom during the 2024 offseason.

The Devils have not yet signed restricted free agent defenseman Luke Hughes. Kadri’s $7 million salary would require the Devils to make additional cap space to accommodate both players.

A proposed trade scenario reported by Heavy.com suggested a structure where the Devils would receive Kadri with no retained salary. In return, the Flames would acquire forward Ondrej Palat, also with no salary retained, defense prospect Seamus Casey, and a conditional 2026 second-round draft pick that would escalate to a first-rounder if New Jersey reaches the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals. The proposal notes that Palat has a six-team trade list, which could affect the feasibility of the deal.

In the betting market, online sportsbooks adjusted their odds for the Devils following their playoff exit and offseason changes. According to data published on July 30, 2025, BetMGM listed New Jersey at +1900 to win the 2026 Stanley Cup. FanDuel and ESPN Bet had them at +1600 earlier in July. BetRivers posted the Devils’ odds to win the Metropolitan Division at +350. Their Eastern Conference championship odds were +850 at BetMGM. The odds have shifted from earlier positions; for example, opening lines for the division were as low as +230 and later moved to +450.

New Jersey’s elimination in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs was followed by offseason moves aimed at improving depth. On July 1, the Devils signed forwards Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov. They also brought over Arseni Gritsyuk from the KHL. However, these additions did not directly address the need for a third-line center or top-six scoring.

During the 2025 playoffs, FanDuel listed New Jersey as –188 favorites in Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 27, 2025, with an over/under of 5.5 goals. On April 5, 2025, in a game against the New York Rangers, the Devils were favored by 1.5 goals, with odds of +205 to cover the puck line and a game total also set at 5.5 goals.

Analyst commentary from the New York Post on June 18, 2025, cited injuries and lack of scoring depth as reasons for a tempered outlook. Jack Hughes has not played a full 82-game regular season, and Nico Hischier has played 80 or more games only twice in eight seasons. Both have struggled with injuries, but were significant contributors last season—Hischier scored 35 goals, and Hughes averaged over a point per game for the third straight year.

Kadri’s playoff experience includes the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs with Colorado, where he scored 7 goals and 15 points over 16 games. That postseason ended with the Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup.

A recent comparison was made between a proposed Kadri trade and the actual trade that sent Brock Nelson to the Avalanche. In that deal, the New York Islanders received Calum Ritchie, a conditional 2026 first-round pick, a conditional 2028 third-round pick, and Oliver Kylington. Nelson, like Kadri, is a veteran center, but his contract situation differed—he was on an expiring deal and is nearly one year younger than Kadri.

The viability of a trade for Kadri depends on multiple factors, including his no-move clause, Calgary’s willingness to part with him, and New Jersey’s cap flexibility. While Kadri matches the Devils’ positional need and playoff aspirations, no official statements or confirmations of negotiations have been made by either team at this time.