Trade speculation surrounding Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri could grow even further over the course of the Olympic break.

The 35-year-old veteran has been discussed as a potential player on the move going into the trade deadline. It was believed that he would be open to joining a Stanley Cup contender should the opportunity present itself, though he hadn’t formally requested a trade. Based on a new report, however, that may have changed.

“He has informed Calgary that he’d like to move, and the Flames know his wish is to try to win a Stanley Cup this year,” Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos wrote in a column on Monday.

That said, moving Kadri ahead of the trade deadline may be easier said than done.

The Flames chose to sign Kadri to a seven-year contract ahead of the 2022-23 season. That means that he remains under contract through the 2030-31 season on a deal that carries a $7 million cap hit.

Making things even more difficult for the Flames is that Kadri, who scored a career-high 35 goals in 2024-25, has struggled this season.

Though he still leads the Flames in points, he’s racked up just 37 through his first 55 games. It’s a disappointing total for a player who had racked up a combined 142 points over the prior two seasons.

One thing to note when it comes to any further trades with the Flames is that they have just one retention spot remaining. Two of their retention spots are being used on Jacob Markstrom and Rasmus Andersson, both of whom will come off the books on July 1.

This means that the Flames could retain money on Kadri’s deal, not only to increase offers, but also to make him easier for a Stanley Cup-contending team to bring onboard.

That retention spot could very well be used by the Flames ahead of the trade deadline, though Kadri isn’t the only option. Blake Coleman, who has one additional season remaining on his deal, has also been discussed as a trade candidate.

Should the Flames end up retaining money on Coleman’s deal in a potential move prior to the deadline, it would be unlikely that Kadri is moved until the offseason at the earliest.

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