Nazem Kadri Makes Preseason Debut with Calgary Flames

It’s nice to debut with a new team at home, but it’s even nicer to debut during the first Battle of Alberta of the year. Even if it is just the preseason. Nazem Kadri suited up and joined the Calgary Flames lineup for their game against the Edmonton Oilers on September 28th. He was in the starting lineup centering a line of Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman.

With the departures of Sean Monahan, Matthew Tkachuk, and Johnny Gaudreau in the offseason, there was cap space to go around. Kadri was in need of a contract, and the Flames had the money for him. He signed a seven-year, $49 million contract on Aug. 18 that could lock him in with the Flames for the rest of his NHL career.

Nazem Kadri Makes Preseason Debut with Calgary Flames

Kadri is fresh from a Stanley Cup win with the Colorado Avalanche and hungry for more. When he did his summer tour with the cup, he went to his hometown mosque and publicly stated in his address to the crowd,

"“We’re going to try and run this thing back and I’m going to Calgary to get the job done.”"

The 31 one-year-old forward acquainted himself with the Flames well in his first showing with some dynamic play throughout the night. He was on the ice with the first power play unit that consisted of Elias Lindholm, Jonathan Huberdeau, Tyler Toffoli, and Rasmus Andersson. This line wasted no time clicking and earning one of the first solid scoring chances of the game. Just like they drew up in practice don’t you think?

Kadri played a very solid opening night for the Flames. He was in some high-danger plays and played with his new teammates like they’d been playing together for years. It can be tough to predict whether or not this new lineup will have some growing pains, but Kadri doesn’t show any signs of this being an issue right off the bat.

Last season, Kadri hit 87 points in the regular season with the Colorado Avalanche with 28 goals and 59 assists. Based on where he is projected to be in the Flames lineup, his opportunities and ice time should allow him to reach around that number again or even exceed it.

In his first unofficial game as a Flame, his stat line finished up at 15:36 of ice time, four shots on goal and one assist. Some of the other lines down the depth chart were the ones doing the scoring earlier in the game, but Kadri made it on the board in the third period with an assist on another Flames newcomer, MacKenzie Weegar’s goal.

This was the third out of four goals on the night and while he wasn’t the one directly doing the scoring, it’s got to feel good to get on the board in another way and earn a win with his new team. All in all, a very solid start to his career as a Flame. A great night with great moments and will be many more great moments to come from number 91.

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