# Nazem Kadri
**Nazem Kadri** (born 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the [Colorado Avalanche](https://www.edgepedia.org/colorado-avalanche) of the [National Hockey League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-hockey-league) (NHL), who shoots left, stands 6 feet tall and weighs 185 pounds[1](https://www.nhlpa.com/player/321/nazem-kadri/). Drafted seventh overall by the [Toronto Maple Leafs](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-maple-leafs) in 2009, he played parts of ten seasons in Toronto before a 2019 trade to Colorado, where he won the 2022 Stanley Cup, and then three-plus seasons with the Calgary Flames before being traded back to the Avalanche in March 2026[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri). Through the 2026 trade he had recorded 319 goals and 432 assists in 1,046 NHL games[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990, London, Ontario, Canada[1](https://www.nhlpa.com/player/321/nazem-kadri/) |
| Draft | First round, seventh overall, 2009 NHL Draft, by the Toronto Maple Leafs[1](https://www.nhlpa.com/player/321/nazem-kadri/) |
| Career scoring | 319 goals, 432 assists in 1,046 games with Toronto, Colorado and Calgary through March 2026[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri) |
| Best season | 2021-22 with Colorado: career-high 87 points (28g/59a) and 1.23 points per game in 71 games[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri) |
| Stanley Cup | Won the 2022 Cup with Colorado; 15 points in 16 playoff games, including the overtime winner in Game 4 of the Final[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri) |
| Contract | Seven-year, $49 million deal ($7 million average annual value) signed with Calgary on August 18, 2022; runs through 2028-29[3](https://www.nhl.com/news/nazem-kadri-traded-to-colorado-avalanche-by-calgary-flames) • [4](https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/14728/nazem-kadri) |
| Milestone | 1,000th NHL game on November 5, 2025, the 411th player in league history to reach it[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri) |
## Junior career and draft
Kadri played four [Ontario Hockey League](https://www.edgepedia.org/ontario-hockey-league) seasons, two with the Kitchener Rangers (2006-08) and two with the London Knights (2008-10), totaling 258 points (92g/166a) in 242 regular-season games and 76 points over 55 playoff games[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri). As a 17-year-old he helped Kitchener win the OHL championship[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri). His 2009-10 season with London produced 93 points in 56 games, and Toronto selected him seventh overall in the 2009 draft[4](https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/14728/nazem-kadri) • [1](https://www.nhlpa.com/player/321/nazem-kadri/). That season he also won a silver medal with Canada at the 2010 [IIHF World Junior Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/iihf-world-junior-championship)[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri).
## Toronto Maple Leafs
Kadri's early professional years alternated between Toronto and its [American Hockey League](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-hockey-league) affiliate, the [Toronto Marlies](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-marlies), where he played 119 games over parts of 2010-13[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri). He established himself in the NHL under coach [Mike Babcock](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-babcock) as a shutdown center who also produced offense: a 2016-17 season review in The Leafs Nation described him as a high-end shutdown forward who finished with career highs of 32 goals and 61 points, usually assigned the opposing team's top centers[5](https://theleafsnation.com/news/2016-17-leafs-season-in-review-nazem-kadri).
Over 561 regular-season games with the Maple Leafs he recorded 357 points (161g/196a) and still ranks 30th in franchise history in both goals and points[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri). His physical, agitating style drew penalties at an elite rate but also cost him discipline; he was suspended in the 2018 playoffs, and his reputation with officials was a recurring theme of his Toronto years[5](https://theleafsnation.com/news/2016-17-leafs-season-in-review-nazem-kadri).
## Colorado and the 2022 Stanley Cup
The [Avalanche](https://www.edgepedia.org/avalanche) acquired Kadri on July 1, 2019, and over three seasons he registered 155 points (58g/97a) in 178 regular-season games[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri). His 2021-22 season set career highs in assists (59), points (87) and points per game (1.23), earned the first of his two NHL All-Star Game selections (the other came in 2023), and included a career-best 10-game point streak from October 28 to November 24[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri).
**The 2022 playoff run** mixed production with suspension. In the first round against St. Louis, Kadri received a match penalty and an eight-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2 at [Ball Arena](https://www.edgepedia.org/ball-arena)[6](https://www.nhl.com/news/nazem-kadri-working-on-discipline-to-be-that-guy-for-colorado-in-posts-333754354). Injuries limited him to 16 games that postseason, but he still contributed 15 points (7g/8a), including two game-winning goals, among them the overtime marker in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final as Colorado beat [Tampa Bay](https://www.edgepedia.org/tampa-bay) for its first Cup since 2001[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri) • [7](https://www.axios.com/2022/06/27/colorado-avalanche-stanley-cup). Across Colorado's 2020 and 2022 postseasons he led the Avalanche with seven game-winning goals[8](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-edge-stats-nazem-kadri-trade-to-colorado-avalanche-2026).
## Calgary Flames
Kadri signed with Calgary as a free agent on August 18, 2022, on a seven-year, $49 million contract with a $7 million average annual value[3](https://www.nhl.com/news/nazem-kadri-traded-to-colorado-avalanche-by-calgary-flames). He was Calgary's scoring leader in each of his first two full seasons: 56 points in 2022-23 and 75 points (29g/46a) in 2023-24, the second-highest total of his career to that point[9](https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/nhl%20stats/2024-25%20Regular%20Season/2024-25%20Season%20Preview%20-%20Team%20Storylines.pdf). In 2024-25 he set an NHL career high with 35 goals[8](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-edge-stats-nazem-kadri-trade-to-colorado-avalanche-2026).
He played his 1,000th career game on November 5, 2025, becoming the 411th player in NHL history to reach the milestone[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri).
## Return to Colorado
On March 6, 2026, the Flames traded Kadri and a 2027 fourth-round pick to Colorado for forward Victor Olofsson, the rights to unsigned prospect Max Curran, a conditional 2028 first-round pick and a conditional 2027 second-round pick; Calgary also retained 20 percent of his salary, about $1.4 million[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri) • [10](https://apnews.com/article/ba214c70eac3fc22bbac149cd7ccc037). At the time of the trade he led the Flames in points (41 in 61 games), assists, power-play points and shots on goal (175)[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri).
NHL.com's fantasy staff framed the deal as reinforcing Colorado's status as [Stanley Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/stanley-cup) front-runner, noting that Kadri rejoins a core including [Nathan MacKinnon](https://www.edgepedia.org/nathan-mackinnon) and [Cale Makar](https://www.edgepedia.org/cale-makar) and could form, with MacKinnon and Brock Nelson, one of the league's strongest center trios, though he began his second stint playing on the wing[8](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-edge-stats-nazem-kadri-trade-to-colorado-avalanche-2026). He debuted the next day with an assist, five shots and 21:47 of ice time in a 3-2 shootout win over Minnesota[8](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-edge-stats-nazem-kadri-trade-to-colorado-avalanche-2026).
## Playing style and analytics
Kadri's game combines offensive production with physical play and heavy workload. Since 2021-22 he was one of nine NHL players with at least 300 points (326), 1,200 shots on goal (1,245) and 300 hits at the time of the 2026 trade[8](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-edge-stats-nazem-kadri-trade-to-colorado-avalanche-2026). In 2025-26 with Calgary he ranked in the 94th percentile among forwards in midrange shots on goal and the 92nd percentile in high-danger shots, and in the 96th percentile in total skating distance (194.17 miles)[8](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-edge-stats-nazem-kadri-trade-to-colorado-avalanche-2026).
**Tracking data** from NHL EDGE for his 2025-26 Calgary games shows a top speed of 22.1 mph (44th percentile, against a league average best of 22.2 mph), a hardest shot of 85.7 mph (55th percentile), and 3.09 miles skated per game[11](https://armchairhockeyscout.com/players/nazem-kadri/). His faceoff winning percentage has hovered below the break-even mark: 46.9 percent on 989 draws in 2025-26[12](https://faceoffs.hockey/player/nazem-kadri). His five-on-five on-ice numbers that season showed strong possession (56.7 percent Corsi, 55.8 percent expected goals) but a negative goal differential (79 for, 105 against), a gap analysts attributed partly to team context[13](https://livinghockey.com/player/8475172/nazem-kadri).
## International play
Kadri won a silver medal with Canada at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship and represented Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Championship, recording three points in eight games[2](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri) • [4](https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/14728/nazem-kadri).
## References
1. [Nazem Kadri Player Profile, NHLPA.com](https://www.nhlpa.com/player/321/nazem-kadri/)
2. [Avalanche Acquire Kadri, ColoradoAvalanche.com, March 6, 2026](https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/avalanche-acquire-kadri)
3. [Kadri traded back to Avalanche by Flames for Olofsson, draft picks, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/nazem-kadri-traded-to-colorado-avalanche-by-calgary-flames)
4. [Nazem Kadri - Stats, Contract, Salary & More, Elite Prospects](https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/14728/nazem-kadri)
5. [2016-17 Leafs Season in Review: Nazem Kadri, The Leafs Nation](https://theleafsnation.com/news/2016-17-leafs-season-in-review-nazem-kadri)
6. [Kadri working on discipline to be 'that guy' for Avalanche in playoffs, NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/nazem-kadri-working-on-discipline-to-be-that-guy-for-colorado-in-posts-333754354)
7. [Colorado Avalanche lift the Stanley Cup, Axios, June 27, 2022](https://www.axios.com/2022/06/27/colorado-avalanche-stanley-cup)
8. [NHL EDGE stats: Avalanche remain Stanley Cup front-runner after Kadri trade, NHL.com, March 9, 2026](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-edge-stats-nazem-kadri-trade-to-colorado-avalanche-2026)
9. [2024-25 NHL Season Preview - Team Storylines, NHL Stats and Information](https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/nhl%20stats/2024-25%20Regular%20Season/2024-25%20Season%20Preview%20-%20Team%20Storylines.pdf)
10. [NHL trade deadline upended as old contenders sell and new buyers add, AP News, March 6, 2026](https://apnews.com/article/ba214c70eac3fc22bbac149cd7ccc037)
11. [Nazem Kadri, 2025-26, Armchair Hockey Scout](https://armchairhockeyscout.com/players/nazem-kadri/)
12. [Nazem Kadri Faceoff Stats, Win Rate & Matchups, NHL Faceoffs](https://faceoffs.hockey/player/nazem-kadri)
13. [Nazem Kadri Stats - NHL Forward Advanced Analytics, LivingHockey](https://livinghockey.com/player/8475172/nazem-kadri)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Hockey and remaining team sports › Ice hockey players and personnel › Centers › Active NHL-era centers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license