The Calgary Flames need a heckuva lot more than they’ve gotten from Nazem Kadri as of late.
The 35-year-old, who scored a career-high 35 goals in 2024-25, has found the back of the net just eight times through his first 46 games of the season. He hasn’t found the back of the net in 11-straight outings. In fact, over that 11-game stretch, he’s recorded just a single assist, and has been held off the scoresheet entirely over his last six.
Kadri, a notoriously slow starter, went through a similar stretch to begin the 2023-24 season, where he had just one assist through his first eight games. He went on to finish with 75 points in 82 outings.
While Kadri does still lead this Flames team in scoring, his 32 points put him on pace for just 57 points. That would mark his lowest total since the 2022-23 season. It’s a disappointing sight for a player who has been a bright spot for this Flames team in recent years.
To no surprise, the Flames, who were picking things up in December, have started the new year off with a 1-5-0 record. After pulling within range of a playoff position, they now find themselves seven points back of the San Jose Sharks for a wild-card spot.
Part of Kadri’s struggles has been his hesitancy to shoot the puck. In each of the last two seasons, the veteran centre averaged over three shots per game. During this 11-game drought, he’s managing just 1.9.
While all players are prone to slumps, this Flames team lacks a supporting cast that can pick things up when their top offensive player is struggling. In fact, the entire roster has combined for just 11 goals in their last six games.
Kadri does tend to be a streaky player, which suggests that he could heat up in quick fashion once a bounce or two goes his way. That said, it’s been a frustrating stretch for a player who this team relies on, and could end up impacting his trade value if things continue going this way moving forward.
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