Nazem Kadri signs 7-year deal with Flames

Nazem Kadri has cashed in on a career season.

The 31-year-old center has signed a seven-year, $49-million deal ($7M AAV) with the Calgary Flames, according to multiple reports.

In a corresponding move, the Flames dealt centre Sean Monahan to the Montreal Canadiens. Monahan has one year remaining on his contract that carries a $6.375 million cap hit.

Kadri had a career-high 87 points in 71 games anchoring Colorado's second line last season. He also chipped in another 15 points in 16 playoff games en route to his first Stanley Cup, highlighted by a heroic Game 4 overtime winner against Tampa Bay in his return from injury.

The bidding for Kadri's services was reportedly down to the Islanders and Flames.

Prior to his breakout season in Colorado, Kadri's previous career highs came in 2016-17 when he had 32 goals and 61 points in 82 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He had 68 points across 107 games in his first two seasons in Colorado, a 52-point pace over an 82-game season, which is on par with his production (0.67 points per game) over the five seasons prior to his leap forward in 2021-22.

The Flames, meanwhile, have more than salvaged what started out as a rough summer for the organization. First, homegrown star winger Johnny Gaudreau opted to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets of all places for less money and term than he would've gotten with the Flames.

That brutal loss was followed by another blow after Matthew Tkachuk — who has also vaulted into the upper echelon of elite NHL wingers over the past season or so — informed the Flames he wouldn't be signing with the team long-term.

From that position of apparent weakness, however, Flames GM Brad Treliving went beast mode in prying star forward Jonathan Huberdeau and top-pairing blueliner MacKenzie Weegar from the Panthers in exchange for Tkachuk before inking the former to a monster 8-year deal and signing a top-6 centre with Stanley Cup credentials in Kadri.

After a busy, busy summer in Calgary, out is Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Monahan, while Kadri, Weegar and Huberdeau come in for the Flames, who will still have championship aspirations for the foreseeable future.

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