Kadri believed to have turned down 6-year, $8.5M AAV deal early in FA

Nazem Kadri was available on the free-agent market for six weeks before signing with the Calgary Flames, but it appears he was not without offers during that time.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun wrote Wednesday in the Athletic that Kadri "is believed to have turned down a six-year offer from another club worth $8.5 million AAV pretty early in free agency."

LeBrun adds that Kadri made the decision based on the fit with the potential team. The 31-year-old centre eventually joined the Flames on a seven-year, $49 million contract, carrying an average annual value of $7 million.

Kadri was part of a massive roster overhaul for the Flames, who lost Johnny Gaudreau in free agency and traded Matthew Tkachuk, acquiring Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar as part of their return from the Florida Panthers.

“I touched base with (Kadri's agent Darren Ferris) when free agency opened to say we certainly had interest, but we had a lot going on,” Treliving told LeBrun. “And at that point, we hadn’t dealt with Matthew's situation yet.

“It just worked out that he was still available."

Ferris said that Kadri's decision came down to three teams and LeBrun reports the New York Islanders were among the suitors, with Kadri likely waiting deep into the off-season to see if general manager Lou Lamoriello could make space for him. 

The London, Ont. native scored 28 goals and posted a career-high 87 points in 71 games with the Colorado Avalanche last season. He added seven goals and 15 points in 16 playoff games en route to winning his first Stanley Cup in June.

Selected seventh overall in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kadri has 219 goals and 512 points in 739 career games with the Leafs and Avalanche.

Two weeks before signing