The latest on Flames forward Nazem Kadri, the Canadiens could be interested in Flames winger Blake Coleman, the Hurricanes are entertaining offers for Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and the latest on the Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
NAZEM KADRI COULD BE OPEN TO A TRADE
TSN: Darren Dreger believes Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri would be willing to listen if an opportunity to be traded to a contender came along.
Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (NHL Images).
Kadri, 35, is signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $7 million and a 13-team no-trade list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trade rumors were buzzing about Kadri earlier this season, but Flames ownership said they had no intention of moving him. However, it appears to be a different story if he wants to be moved, or if a contender comes calling with a good offer, whether those offers come before the March 6 trade deadline remains to be seen.
CANADIENS INTERESTED IN FLAMES WINGER BLAKE COLEMAN
TSN: Pierre LeBrun thinks Flames winger Blake Coleman is high on the Montreal Canadiens’ list of trade targets. The 34-year-old is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and would bring a measure of physicality, veteran leadership, and versatility to the Canadiens’ roster.
Coleman is signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $4.9 million. He also has a 10-team no-trade list.
LeBrun said nothing is imminent with the Canadiens. They intend to wait until the Olympic break in February to gauge the health of their roster and their position in the standings before pursuing that type of deal.
MONTREAL HOCKEY NOW: Marc Dumont appreciates Coleman’s skills, but he’s skeptical that the Canadiens will pursue him.
Dumont pointed out that Alexandre Texier’s play negates some of what Coleman would bring to the lineup. He also expressed concern that Coleman’s shooting percentage might collapse, turning him into an expensive bottom-six forward. There is currently no pressing need to make that move.
RG.ORG: Marco D’Amico indicated that the Canadiens are ahead of schedule with their rebuild and will soon be getting their sidelined players back in the lineup. They’re open to adding physical, middle-six scoring forwards, but they’re not under pressure to do so.
The Canadiens are dealing from a position of strength. They can afford to be patient and wait for value rather than overpaying to keep pace. Management is still prioritizing long-term impact over short-term optics.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Coleman wouldn’t be a rental player for the Canadiens, provided they’re not on his no-trade list. However, General Manager Kent Hughes’ trade history suggests he won’t overpay to acquire him. LeBrun also stressed that Coleman is among several players on the Canadiens’ trade targets list.
HURRICANES LISTENING TO OFFERS FOR JESPERI KOTKANIEMI
SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports several sources claim the Carolina Hurricanes are considering trade offers for Jesperi Kotkaniemi. They want something in return that can help them now or something they can use to acquire something that can provide immediate help.
The Hurricanes successfully signed away Kotkaniemi from the Canadiens with an offer sheet in 2021, and later signed him to an eight-year deal with an AAV of $4.82 million.
Friedman said the Hurricanes have used the 25-year-old Kotkaniemi in recent trade discussions when they attempted to acquire Phillip Danault from the Los Angeles Kings and Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. Danault was traded to the Canadiens, and Hughes to the Minnesota Wild.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kotkaniemi struggled to establish himself as a reliable middle-six center with the Hurricanes. Given the lack of centers in the trade market, Friedman believes he’s drawing legitimate interest from other clubs.
LATEST ON THE DEVILS
TSN: Darren Dreger reports New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is trying to shake up his struggling roster. He’s aggressively searching for a top-six forward, but things are quiet in the trade market right now.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes the Devils must make some changes to their roster if they’re not going to shake things up in the front office or behind the bench.
He noted the Devils attempted to move defenseman Dougie Hamilton and winger Ondrej Palat earlier this season. Those moves seem more likely in the offseason when things are more flexible.
Nichols suggested it may be time to consider moving a core player. He felt that management should speak with Jack and Luke Hughes to determine how committed they are to the organization after the Devils’ failed attempt to acquire brother Quinn Hughes. Otherwise, it may be time to look at Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and team captain Nico Hischier
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Devils supporters are roasting Fitzgerald on social media, but it doesn’t sound as though he’s on the hot seat with ownership. Dreger said he speaks to ownership every week, and they know what direction he wants to take this team.
Barring a strong second-half turnaround, the Devils might face some difficult questions regarding the core of their roster. They’ve struggled to regain their once-promising 2022-23 form, when they finished with the best record in franchise history.