NHL Predictions: Nazem Kadri will have a career season

Nazem Kadri reached 87 points in his final season in Colorado before an injury plagued first season as a Flame stopped him in his tracks. Following a long offseason, with a new coach and a better atmosphere in Calgary, Julian MacKenzie predicts Kadri will hit the 90-point plateau for the first time in his NHL career.

Video Transcript

JULIAN MCKENZIE: I'm bullish on Nazem Kadri having a career season because he's had the longest off season in about, like, six or seven years. And he's not dealing with any of those nagging injuries that he had to deal with from that Stanley Cup Final run. Darryl Sutter is no longer his head coach. The vibes are better in Calgary. I think he's going to have a really good year. I think he's going to have the best year, statistically, of his pro career.

I know he had an 87-point season. I think he could hit the 90-point plateau for the first time in his career. I'm convinced of that. They're going to have him in top six. They're going to have him in the Power Play. He's going to play with Matthew Coronato, who's also looking pretty good, could get some goals into, get that time on the Power Play with Lindholm and Huberdeau. I think that's my one bold-- that's my biggest bold prediction, Nazem Kadri career season, full effect, all in on that. And who knows what it'll be for him after that. But that is my bold prediction.

SAMANTHA CHANG: Career season?

JULIAN MCKENZIE: Yes, that is my bold prediction. Bold prediction was there. That is my bold prediction. Nazem Kadri will have a career season. Sam doesn't-- Sam doesn't think it's going to happen. That's all right.

SAMANTHA CHANG: I mean, I think he's going to have a great season. I just don't know that he's going to-- the numbers he put up in his last season with the Avs, like, I don't know if he--

JULIAN MCKENZIE: He's well above and beyond what he should have put.

SAMANTHA CHANG: I don't know if he has the support to beat those numbers in Calgary. But I hope it happens.

JULIAN MCKENZIE: It could happen, man. It's a bold prediction. I think, if that offense starts to click in Calgary, man, it could get to a point where he could get at least close to those numbers. And I also think him being healthy, that is going to help. He played, like, one of the best, if not the best, player for a good chunk of last season before the all-Star break, before those injuries started to nag on him. And again, he has a different head coach. Like, I think the vibes will be a lot different for Nazem Kadri.