Photo credit: Sergei Belski – USA Today Sports

Former NHL general manager Doug MacLean has revealed that the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking at re-acquiring Nazem Kadri in a deal with the Calgary Flames.

The elements or on-ice intangibles that are always brought up when discussing the needs of the Maple Leafs heading into the playoffs are grit and tenacity. A name that has resurfaced over the last 2 seasons is former Maple Leaf Nazem Kadri, but it’s going to be tough to pull him out of Calgary.

Former Calgary Flames GM and current Maple Leafs’ architect Brad Treliving has had some difficulties bargaining with his old team. It seems like he has tried to bring in a few of his ex-players but his former organization appears to want no part in dealing him.

However, if it is at all possible, Doug MacLean believes that the key to the Leafs’ future success may revolve around Kadri:
“Look, I said earlier today that that was the gist of my whole show tonight is that Toronto has got to get Kadri. They gotta go get him. They have gotta go get him. If you’re gonna play against the teams in the playoffs, the Florida Panthers, the Carolina Hurricanes, the New Jersey Devils, the New York Rangers, they need a Kadri.

I know people in Toronto are gonna say, ‘that MacLean is clueless,’ but I’m telling you, if I’m Brad Treliving — and I hear they’re kicking tires, I heard today that they were kicking tires there — Treliving has his hands full because of a little animosity there because he left and the Huberdeau deal still stings the ownership there, but everything he could do in his power, you go into the playoffs with the Toronto Maple Leafs with Matthews at 1, I might have Kadri at 2 and Tavares at 3, but I’ll tell you what, if they get him and they go against Florida and these teams, it’s going to be a different series.”
 

Kadri spent the first 10 seasons of his career in Toronto, where he tallied 161 goals and 357 points but also had a few controversial plays in the playoffs that essentially directly led to his departure.

Since leaving, he’s won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche, established himself as a top-tier free agent and earned a massive contract, and has put up 116 goals and 296 points in 362 games over the last 5-plus seasons.

The Flames are in the midst of a rebuild under Craig Conroy, but as Nick Kypreos mentioned, the Maple Leafs weren’t even able to land Chis Tanev from Calgary last year when he was actively being shopped, so what are the chances that things have changed since?
“Brad Treliving could not get Chris Tanev to Toronto last year and they needed to wait for free agency, what are the odds that Calgary would deal?”While it could be a pipe dream to have Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and Kadri as your top-3 centermen, MacLean did mention that he has heard rumours about the Leafs kicking tires and trying to get this deal done.
It’s certainly going to take a lot of work when factoring the animosity that could still exist between Calgary and Treliving, as well as Kadri’s current contract, but he’s certainly a piece that could push them over the top when they go head-to-head with teams like Florida or New York in the post-season.