Nazem Kadri not shutting the door on return to Toronto Maple Leafs

Photo credit: Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network

Nazem Kadri’s tenure in Toronto didn’t end on the best of terms and on a recent podcast, Kadri revealed that he’d be open to a return to the Leafs.

Kadri recently released his book entitled “Dreamer: Life on the Edge”, detailing his life and hockey career and the struggles he and his family have battled through to see him succeed in the NHL. The tell-all book shared some intriguing and controversial revelations from his time in Toronto, including the controversy between former head coach Mike Babcock and Mitch Marner. It also detailed how Kadri was blindsided by his trade to the Colorado Avalanche after a second consecutive suspension in the playoffs.

As it turns out, Leafs fans weren’t the only ones shocked when Kadri, along with Calle Rosen and a 2020 third-round pick were sent to Colorado in exchange for Tyson Barrie, Alexander Kerfoot and a 2020 sixth-round pick. The details revealed by the former first-round pick in his book put his comments from his Stanley Cup-winning interview into context, with the former London Knight throwing some major shade at the Leafs, Brendan Shanahan and Kyle Dubas.
“For everyone that thought I was a liability in the playoffs can kiss my a**,” said Kadri as he ended his on-ice interview with David Amber following the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup victory.
On the October 25th edition of “The Leaf Report”, Kadri was a special guest of James Mirtle and Jonas Siegel. Kadri was asked about if he would be open to returning to the Leafs given how his tenure with the club ended. His answer is giving Leafs Nation real hope that it could happen.
“I mean, who knows? I would definitely not put that out of the equation for sure,” he explained. “I mean, everybody knows how I feel about the city and the team and got lots of friends there, but certainly something you wouldn’t close the door on.”
 

 

The 34-year-old is currently in the third year of a seven-year deal that he signed with the Flames in the summer of 2022 after winning the Stanley Cup with Colorado. With a $7M cap hit, and a deal that carries him to the age of 37, Kadri may have to wait until his contract ends for his ultimate return to the Leafs, unless Flames GM Craig Conroy is comfortable with eating salary or Leafs GM Brad Treliving can pull off a move to open up some cap space to accommodate Kadri’s contract.

A fan favourite during his time in Toronto, Kadri is still loved by fans for his edgy style of play, even if some believe it cost the Leafs a pair of playoff series victories. Through 11 games with the Flames so far this season, Kadri has 6 points and 18 penalty minutes. In 914 career games, Kadri has amassed 276 goals and 649 points with the Leafs, Flames and Avalanche.