Islanders Should Push for Nazem Kadri amid Latest NHL Free Agency Rumors

We're nearly two weeks into NHL free agency, and yet, standout center Nazem Kadri somehow remains unsigned.

The fact that Nadri is still available is surprising. He's coming off a tremendous 71-game, 87-point (28 goals) season and just won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. At 31, Kadri may be nearing the end of his playing prime, but he's still a high-level player.

According to the latest free agency buzz, the New York Islanders may be interested in scooping up Kadri in an effort to bolster their offense.

"One league source told The Athletic via text message Friday that he had 'heard rumblings' that the Islanders were making a push for Kadri," The Athletic's Kevin Kurz wrote.

There are reasons to believe this one. The Islanders have been painfully quiet this offseason and don't appear, on paper, much better than they were during last year's 37-win campaign.

New York tried and failed to make a push for Johnny Gaudreau before he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Aside from acquiring Alexander Romanov during the draft, New York has failed to make a splash.

New York's interest in Gaudreau suggests that the Islanders are willing to go big-name, and they still have the sixth-most cap space in the league.

Nadri also has a bit of an Islanders connection, as general manager Lou Lamoriello was with the Toronto Maple Leafs toward the end of Kadri's time with the franchise.

Should Lamoriello bring in Kadri, it would add excitement to what has been a stale offseason and improve New York's prowess on the offensive end. The question is whether the Islanders could find a fit for Kadri when they already have a solid center rotation.

Brock Nelson, who had 37 goals last season, is a star. Mathew Barzal is an up-and-coming talent who accrued 44 assists in 2021. The Islanders also have J.G. Pageau, a capable player and a fine third-liner.

However, New York could tinker with the lineup by moving Barzal or Nelson to wing to accommodate Kadri. As Kurz pointed out, having the left-handed Kadri could make for a potent face-off lineup.

One unnamed NHL scout, though, told Kurz that moving Nelson to wing would make more sense, as he is a better shooter. This would likely mean bumping Josh Bailey down the depth chart.

Perhaps a mix of position shuffling would work, though Kadri is best suited to stay at center. It would take some experimentation, but it would give New York the potential to put more points on the board while still leaning on its stout defense.

The Islanders allowed the seventh-fewest (tied) goals this past season.

The other factor to consider here is that while New York is currently deep at center, it may not stay that way. Barzal will be a restricted free agent next offseason. There's no guarantee that the Canadian-born Barzal—who played his WHL hockey in Seattle—wants to stick around.

Signing Kadri would be a gamble, but at this point, the Islanders are running out of free-agent options. Kadri is younger than potential alternatives like Phil Kessel (34) and Paul Stastny (36) and would be more logical for anything other than a short-term rental.

And perhaps a short-term rental is where the Islanders end up. Of course, that would put them right back in the same spot next offseason.

If New York believes it can find success by sliding Nelson and/or Barzal to win, it should make a strong push to sign Kadri sooner than later. While he's available now, he isn't likely to remain so for much longer.