Nazem Kadri Has Been Everything the Flames Had Hoped For

If you didn’t think Nazem Kadri‘s career year with the Colorado Avalanche would carry over to his first season with the Calgary Flames, you were sadly mistaken.

The 2009 first-round pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs played three seasons with the Avalanche after being traded by his original club, and last year he reached a new level. His third campaign in Denver yielded 28 goals and 59 assists for 87 points. All of those numbers are career highs.

Kadri thrived as the second-line center with the eventual Stanley Cup champions, but when he departed for Calgary over the summer, it was worth wondering whether or not he’d be able to duplicate his 2021-2022 performance with a new team this year.

Nazem Kadri is enjoying an elite start to his Flames career.

Through his first six games as a member of the Flames, he has proven that last year was no fluke. Kadri has recorded at least one point in every game this season, totaling four goals and five assists for nine points.

The 32-year-old forward is leading his new team in both goals and points in the early going, demonstrating just how well he fits in with the Flames.

When Kadri signed with the Flames, I was excited about his fit, as his projected role with his new team resembled the role he filled in Colorado. Sure enough, Kadri is living up to the Flames’ expectations.

He ranks third among Calgary forwards in ice time per game, and he’s contributed five points to a power play unit that ranks fifth in the NHL.

Yes, six games is a small sample size, but Kadri and the Flames are off to a great start, and based on what both accomplished last season independently of each other, I’m excited to see what they can continue to accomplish this season.

As a fan, you always want to keep your expectations in check this early in the season, as the things that happen in the opening weeks typically return to reality sooner than later. For Kadri though, a point-per-game pace appears to be the new norm.