REASONABLE TRADE SPECULATION: Boston Bruins Should Reunite Andersson, Kadri with Other Former Flames

REASONABLE TRADE SPECULATION: Boston Bruins Should Reunite Andersson, Kadri with Other Former Flames

Could the Bruins reunite a mini Calgary core in Boston? Picture it. Rasmus Anderson to stabilize the blue line. Nazim Cadri to solve the 2C hole. Joining Nikita Zidorov and Elias Lindholm. Let’s map it out on today’s episode of Locked On Boston Bruins. Your Locked On Bruins, your daily podcast on the Boston Bruins, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. What is up, Bruins fans? Welcome back to the Locked On Boston Bruins podcast. I’m your host, Ian McLaren, and this is a daily show where we discuss all things spoke to be. Today is Monday, September 15th. Thank you so much for making Locked On Boston Bruins your first listen every day. It’s part of the Locked On podcast network your team every day. And on today’s episode, we are going to discuss why Rasmus Anderson could be Boston’s cleanest blue line upgrade. What it might cost in terms of assets, futures. We’re going to take it a step further as well. Double down by adding NSM Codri. what the real cost of that deal would be, including possibly moving both Pavo Zaka and Casey Middlestat. And then today’s Bruin of the day will be Nikita Zidorov, his Flames connection, leadership role in Boston, and how he analy could act as a buffer tying it all together. Before we get into all that, a quick reminder. You can find the podcast on social media, locked NHL Bruins. That’s on X Blue Sky, Instagram threads, Tik Tok, and you can find me, my hockey thoughts, and dad jokes at Ian C McLaren. I’m a lifelong Boston Bruins fan, and I’ve been covering this team for various outlets for 20 years now, along with the NHL as a whole. Rasmus Anderson of the Calgary Flames has long been thought to be on the trade block. He’s heading into the final year of a six-year $23.7 million contract. And he’s been subject of trade speculation dating back to the 2024 trade deadline when Calgary shipped out Chris Tanniv, Noah Hennean, and Nikita Zadorov. There have been rumors floating around that he would only want to accept a trade to one team, the Vegas Golden Knights, but he debunked that over the summer. He does have a six team no trade list. And my proposal here today is that maybe he joins the Boston Bruins. The Bruins have a real need. On the right side of the blue line following Charlie Makavoy on the depth chart is pretty thin. You have Henry Yoki Haru. You have Victor Sodstrom. You have that’s pretty much it. Andrew Peak who can play on the right side as well, a right shot defenseman, but that’s not very deep in terms of quality defenseman at a key position. And God forbid if Charlie Makavoy goes down with injury once again then you’re entering into tank mode to be honest because he is that valuable on the blue line. Boston’s most direct path to stabilizing the top four is trading for Rasmus Anderson but it means moving money likely Pavle Zaka or Casey Middlestat and probably some futures as well. The Bruins have these guys signed for a couple more seasons each. Middlestat and Zaka can both become unrestricted free agents in 2027. Middlestat’s making 5.75 million. Zaka is at 4.75. Maybe they could convince the Flames to take Victor Arvdson, also a pending unrestricted free agent, in exchange for uh Anderson, but you’d have to add probably more than you would if you’re dealing Middle or Zaka because they’re younger. Uh Arvisson’s 32, middle stat 26, Zaka 28. Now, the reason this makes sense is again the Bruins have a huge right side hole behind Makavoy. Anderson can chew up 22 to 23 minutes a night steady power play and penalty kill usage and he would fit perfectly on a second pair with Nikita Zidorov or Hampus Lindhook. He’s got one year left on a contract that carries a $4.55 million cap hit. Then he’s a UFA next summer. So Boston would be guaranteed one season with the chance of extending him before July 1st. Again, in terms of the cap mechanics, moving Pavle Zaka or Casey Middlestat would be the cleanest swaps to make the money work. And you know, there’s some question as to which one of these two guys is going to play second line center. Maybe you answer that question by moving one of them out and then promoting uh a younger guy to play on the left side because we know there’s a glut of forwards on this team all of whom may or may not be able to a hang on the NHL roster but also if they do they might be improperly placed. Maybe a guy like Fraser Minton who you can slot in on the left side with Casey Middlestat and Victor Arvitton or maybe you give a guy like Georgie Murkov a shot. Matte Luml up there on the second line like there’s options there. Fabian Lysel. Perhaps there are guys waiting in the wings on top of the guys that you signed this off seasonason like Michael Esimott, Shan Carali, uh Tanner Jano. Those guys can play in their spots, but maybe you give another player with some more upside the opportunity by moving out Zaka or Middlestat. You’d probably need an asset to get it done as well. maybe a first or second round pick or a prospect. Calgary likely won’t part with Anderson cheaply since he still has this whole season to offer. Now, there is the Calgary tie in here. The Bruins do have Nikita Zidorov, Elias Lindhomem, both of whom played with Anderson in Calgary. So, there’s that builtin familiarity that makes a potential transition smoother. and the locker room fit stronger. The question is, do you spend assets for one guaranteed season of Anderson or hold your futures and circle back in free agency in 2026? The thing here is, again, I talked about it last week, every day will remember, David Posternok is not getting any younger. He’s firmly in his prime years. Do you want to enter 202526 with, you know, teetering between playoff hopeful and bottoming out potentially if everything goes wrong once again? Do you want to try to give this team and this core the best possible opportunity of rebounding as quickly as possible? If Sweeney and Neely want defensive stability now, Anderson is kind of a surgical move, you’re taking one part out and replacing it with another that could make your overall roster function better. He does come at a cost likely one of those two centers futures and the risk that he walks next July. It’s not so much Zaka or Middlestat that you’re worried about giving up. Although they do have two seasons of control versus one for Anderson, but it’s potentially the futures that you’re giving up with the risk that he walks next July. But perhaps if you bring him in with Eli Lindholm, Nikita Zidorov, maybe there’s enough there to convince him to stay and to be part of the solution as opposed to, you know, wanting to see what is out there next summer on the open market. in terms of what he’s capable of offering. I mean, it’s pretty clear what a guy like Rasmus Anderson brings to the table. He was a second round pick in 2015. He’s basically your Brandon Carlo replacement, who was also a second round pick in 2015, but with much more offensive upside. This is a guy who has a 50point season on his resume. Four goals, 46 assists back in 2021-22. He had 49 points the year after. He’s had a couple down offensive seasons, 39 points in 2324, only 31 points in 81 games last season. The Flames, however, were not very good as a whole. And there is much more upside in his game versus uh what we saw last year. And perhaps a reunion with Lindholm Zadorov could be that boost. So, I’m kind of all for this. You have this glut of guys at the top, not a glut, but you have questions about Zaka or Middlestat. they would be the cleanest swaps. They’ve been reportedly on the market or people have been reaching out at the very least. If you want defensive stability, you take one of those forwards, add Anderson, and if you’re adding Anderson, why stop there? Nazam Cadre’s name is out there, too. But the cost of a big-time Calgary reunion would go way up. We’ll discuss that prospect here as the podcast continues. Let’s say you just realized that your business needs to hire someone like yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast? It’s actually pretty easy. Just use Indeed. When it comes to hiring, Indeed is all you need. Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other sites. Indeed’s sponsored jobs put your post at the top of the page and help you reach the right candidates faster. I’ve been in that spot where the right hire is needed ASAP. The pressure is on every day without the right person as a setback. And that’s exactly when Indeed’s sponsored jobs come in handy. They make sure your post is seen by the right candidates right now. Speed up your hiring process with a $75 sponsored job credit. Go to indeed.com/lockedon right now. Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions do apply, but if you’re hiring, Indeed is all you need. Thanks so much again for making Locked on Boston Bruins your first listen every day. Part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Please do hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcast app and on YouTube if you have not already. So, if we’re talking about trading one of the two second line center candidates for Rasmus Anderson, why not go even further in and add a guy like Nam Codri? could mean sacrificing both Zaka and Middlestat plus futures for one year of Anderson and longer term with Nazam Codri. It would reunite Cadri Anderson Sidorov Lindholm all in black and gold. To make the math work, you’d probably need to well you’re adding 4.55 in Anderson Cadre’s 7 million. So you’re bringing in 11.55 million. And even just by moving Zaka and Middlestat, you are a bit under there. You’re adding a bit more than you’re sending out, but it could solve a couple problems, right? Nazam Cadri is a legit second line center for the Calgary Flames and would be for the Boston Ruins. He’s actually their top scorer from this past season. He had 67 points in 82 games, including 35 goals this past season for the Calgary Flames. He would instantly be Boston’s second best forward. He had 80, sorry, 75 points in 82 games in 2023 24. He had 56 points in his first season with the Flames. Prior to that, 87 points in 71 games for the Colorado Avalanche, including 15 points in 16 games on route to a Stanley Cup win in 2022. Yes, he is 34 years old, but he’s clearly still playing at a high level. And if again you want to maximize David Postronox’s prime years, not to mention Jeremy Swayman, getting him back on track, uh giving Charlie Makavoy, your best defenseman, some breathing room on the right side. Then adding both of these guys, it immediately makes you better. You give you put Nazam Cadri on your second line as your center. Even the first line perhaps with Post and Geeki and then you put Lindholm down on the second line with Arvdson and say Fraser Minton or uh somebody else who is a candidate to play left side big minutes for this team. you probably have a better shot than you do right now. Matte Bluml perhaps on the left side. Give him an opportunity. Fabian Lysel may maybe you have a line of Lysel Arvdson Lindholm. I mean it’s pretty intriguing. Now the cost of course you would be giving up Zaka and Middlestat both of whom are uh you know pretty valuable forwards and pretty decent contracts. Or maybe you decide let’s keep a Zaka or a middle stat and instead we send out Henry Yoki Haru who does have a modified no trade clause. Eight teams on his no trade list. Maybe Andrew Pete goes out to make up some of the difference and you keep Makavoy, Anderson, Yoki Haru with Jordan Harris as a depth option. It’s probably preferable to keep one of Zaka and Middlestat in this kind of trade. Just trying to make the money work a little bit. But the reality is Rasmus Anderson would stabilize pair two. He brings instant chemistry with uh Nikita Zidorov. Or you could have, you know, you could put Lindholm Makavoy on the top pair Zorov Anderson and then Luri Yoki Haru. Maybe you probably want to mix that up where it’s Lurai Anderson or Lurai Makavoy Hampus Lindholm with Rasmus Anderson and then Zidorov and Yoki Haru because they had some pretty good chemistry last season. Nazam Kadri is a playoff tested second line center or even a first line center on this team. He brings some bite. We all remember his history in the playoffs with Jake De Brusk. He can take tough minutes. Let Lindholm slide into a more flexible matchup. What Boston loses? Well, they would lose perhaps Casey Middlestat and or Pavle Zaka along with maybe Andrew Peak or Henry Yoki Haru. Probably some picks and prospects as well. Maybe Calgary asks for a first or a second. Maybe they ask for a Matt Potra or a Fabian Lysel. Those could be vital pieces if the team falters and need to pivot to Selers this upcoming season. Cadre’s contract could age relatively poorly as he is 34 years old and he’s got four seasons left. So that could handcuff the Bruins down the road. But at the same time, you look at where David Poshnock is now. You add a guy like Nam Cadri who could perfectly complement his game. Bringing that fire, bringing that scoring, bringing proven track record as a Stanley Cup winner. Something the Bruins don’t really have on their roster anymore now that Brad Marshand is gone. Plus, you have Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindhomem as kind of the steadying presences here to kind of bridge the current Bruins core with this mini Flames core that you would be bringing in. Anderson alone to me makes a ton of sense and that’s something that the Bruins should very much consider. You lost Brandon Carlo as your second pairing defenseman at the trade deadline. Well, you didn’t lose him. You traded him and gained Minton and a first round pick. Anderson’s comparable in terms of contract and has a much higher offensive upside as well. Could help with the power play. So, that makes a ton of sense. I’d be all in on trading a Zaka or a middle stat. maybe plus a midlevel prospect or a later round pick for Anderson. And by later round pick, I mean like a third, maybe a second. You have four first round picks in the next two drafts. Be reluctant to deal one of those. But if it allows them to also add Nazam Cadri, he’s a high-risk, highcost swing. You’re effectively trading one or two second line players for one guaranteed year of Anderson for expensive but probably productive years from Cadri. He’s been very uh durable over the last couple years putting up big numbers. If you believe this team can and should be competing right now, maybe you take that gamble. On the other hand, it could be a repeat of past mistakes. You’re sacrificing part of your retool mini rebuild by adding an aging veteran and a guy who could leave after one season. But it’s a pretty bold proposition that Don Sweeney could at least consider here because you have an opportunity to improve your team to answer the second line center question immediately to answer the depth problem you have on the right side and you’re dangling guys that you may or may not be committed to long term. Anyways, do you want another four years of or two years of Zaka Middlestat and risk losing them or you lock in Nazum Cadri for four years and hopefully talk Raspus Anderson into signing long-term on perhaps a Hampus Lindhomem type contract if you believe you have the pieces and you do have good core pieces in postnok of Swayman, Makavoy, you have Hampus Lindome, Elias Lindhome, Nikita Zidorov you want to add to that core with a chance of competing this season. This is the kind of deal Anderson for sure, but also going huge, adding Nazum Codri. uh that could be a real opportunity to turn things around very quickly. It’s yeah, there are some risks for sure. You don’t want to give up too much in terms of sweeteners like a first or a top level prospect. But if you can trade a Zaka, a peak, maybe middle stat as well to make the money work, but also get Anderson on the blue line, Nazum Cadri as your best center, certainly offensively, it might be worth a swing. And just something fun here on a Monday to get the juices flowing here as training camp is set to begin in a couple days. That brings us to today’s Bruin of the day. Nikita Zadorov already a flame turned Bruin, already a leader and a guy who could potentially tie this all together. We’ll talk about him here as the podcast continues. The NFL season is well underway and FanDuel is making sure you’re ready for each and every kickoff with a can’tmiss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if that bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. People love using FanDuel because it fits however you like to bet. Player props, building a same game parlay, even jumping in live as the action unfolds. It makes every game more exciting, whether you’re watching your team or just keeping an eye on your fantasy lineup. It’s quick, it’s easy, and the best way to add a little more energy to your Sundays. So, if you’re ready to play, download the FanDuel app by visiting fanduel.com. Get started. It’s all available on fanduel.com. So easy to use, quick, and the best way to add a little more energy to well, your Monday Night Football coming up tonight. FanDuel.com. Place your first $5 bet and if it hits, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets. All right, today’s Boston Bruin of the day is Nikita Zadorov. If you remember last year on the podcast, Thomas Dance of the Athletic came on and he discussed how Lindholm and Zidorov were coming over to the Bruins from the Vancouver Conucks, a team that he covers for the um the Athletic. He called Zidorov one of his favorite players to watch in the NHL, period. He’s a big piece for Boston’s redemption arc this season. A physical tone setter and talking about Anderson and Cadrey, a guy who could ingratiate those guys into the lineup as a leader in the room alongside Elias Lindholm. He already has chemistry with Anderson from Calgary. You’ve got a plugandplay second pair built in right there. Or you put Lindholm with Anderson and keep Zidorov with Yoki Haru if he is the guy that’s being kept over Andrew Peak. Since arriving in Boston, he’s become a voice in the room. He’s got the size, he’s got the swagger and physical edge that sets a tone that Boston lacked in the past. With Tanner Jano coming in, hopefully some of that physical burden will be taken off. we won’t see that rotating door in and out of the penalty box and he can be a more stabilizing force as opposed to putting the Bruins behind on the penalty kill. That’s going to be a huge thing this year. Can’t have him leading the NHL in penalties. Once again, when it comes to the captaincy question, Zorov is a bit of a wild card there. We all think it’s coming down to Poshok versus Makavoy, but Zidorov was very outspoken down the stretch last season and he brings a different brand of leadership. Again, he’s much more uh what’s the word? Much more like direct and doesn’t hold anything back. Not necessarily diplomatic when it comes to talking to the media. Perhaps Marco Sturm and company will kind of pinpoint that and let Zadorov take the heat while letting Posak Makavoy do their thing both on and off the ice, but not with having that added responsibility. When it comes to today’s topic, adding Anderson, you get instant defensive chemistry. Codri, you have that shared Flames history. Lindome’s buffer makes integration smoother. Either way, if they pull off this move or not, likelihood is they won’t, but it’s still fun to talk about. Zidorov embodies the hardtoplay against identity this team must embrace to rebound. He was brought in to make this team harder to play against. He kind of made it easier to play against them by removing himself from the ice and putting the Bruins down a man. He needs to stay on the ice, keep that discipline in check, play big minutes, stabilize the penalty kill, and earn full trust from Marco Stern, perhaps even as the next captain of this team. He’s not just a former flame. He’s already one of Boston’s most important players, love it or not. Whether or not Anderson or Cadri arrive, Zidorov’s physical edge and leadership alongside Lindholm could be the backbone of Boston’s return to competitiveness and relevance this coming season. He’s a darkhorse candidate as well to be your next captain and that makes him today’s Bruin of the day. Look, at the end of the day, the question for the Bruins is pretty simple. How much of the future are you willing to sacrifice to get back to playoff contention right now? Rasmus Anderson gives you one guaranteed season of stability at an area that is very thin in terms of depth while Nazim Kadri would give you edge but at a long-term cost. Nikita Zidorov, Elias Lindholm are already here embracing the Bruins identity. Zidorov especially embodying the physical hardtoplay uh attitude that the Bruins desperately need. This mini Calgary core could help spark a redemption year, but the wrong gamble could leave the Bruins stuck in another repeat of last season. Let me know what you think. Hit me up on YouTube or on social media. Locked NHL Bruins XB Blue Sky Instagram threads, Twitter. Tomorrow on the podcast, we’re going to dig into some more training camp storylines and get you ready for I mean the Bruins play an exhibition game in less than one week, folks. Like, we are really getting to it. The Bruins will take on the Washington Capitals at TD Garden on this coming Sunday. So, get ready. It’s all around the corner. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast on your favorite app or on YouTube, please do so right now. And we’ll be back tomorrow with a fresh episode. Also, check out the Locked On NHL podcast where you can get all the leaguewide stories from our local experts. is all part of the Locked On podcast network, your favorite team every single day. Please do take care of yourselves, take care of each other, and uh we’ll talk to you again here on the next episode of Locked On Boston Bruins.

The Boston Bruins are looking to bounce back, and a potential reunion with former Calgary Flames could shape their redemption year. Host Ian McLaren breaks down:

Why Rasmus Andersson is the cleanest blue-line upgrade available, but only for one guaranteed season before he hits free agency in 2026.

What it would cost to also add Nazem Kadri, including the possibility of trading both Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt and sacrificing futures.

How Nikita Zadorov has already become a tone-setter in Boston, and how his chemistry with Andersson—and leadership alongside Elias Lindholm—could define this year’s identity.

Is this the kind of bold gamble the Bruins need to rebound, or a repeat of past mistakes?

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