Why Nazem Kadri Should Sign with Islanders amid Latest NHL Contract Rumors

It's been nearly a month since NHL free agency began, and many of the top players who hit the market signed contracts long ago. Not Nazem Kadri. The 31-year-old center is still available, even though he's coming off a career season.

But there have been plenty of rumors surrounding Kadri, who has drawn a lot of reported interest from various teams. And soon enough, he should sign a deal with one of them.

While numerous franchises may remain in the mix, one team that appears to be a possible fit for Kadri is the New York Islanders.

On Tuesday, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported that he's heard from other teams that the Islanders have offered Kadri a seven-year contract with an average annual value in the range of $7 million. But Seravalli isn't certain it's a sure thing that Kadri will be taking that deal.

"My understanding is [Kadri’s camp] has continued to engage with other teams. For all the reports that Nazem Kadri has something locked up with the New York Islanders, I think that's premature to say," Seravalli said on The DFO Rundown.

Could that mean Kadri is still looking for more money? That isn't yet clear. But Seravalli believes he and the Isles may not be on the exact same page yet.

"At this point, obviously it's not signed, and the fact that they continue to talk to other teams tells me at least that they also haven’t agreed to terms with the New York Islanders," Seravalli said. "May he end up there? It's certainly possible, but they also need to move money in order to make it work."

Seravalli reported that the Calgary Flames have also shown interest in Kadri. There's been plenty of buzz about a potential return to the Colorado Avalanche. So Kadri may still have options.

But that doesn't matter. Kadri should sign with the Islanders, especially because it seems unlikely he's going to get a ton of long-term deals offered to him at this stage in his career.

If New York is willing to give Kadri a seven-year contract, that's likely longer than some other teams would do. And that would guarantee that he'd have a deal through the end of his age-38 season.

The Islanders are one of the teams with the most financial flexibility in the NHL at this point in the offseason, with $11.185 million in available cap space (per CapFriendly). They have several restricted free agents they haven't yet signed, so they may need to make a move or two to clear room for Kadri still. But it could be easier for them to do so than it would be for several other potential suitors.

According to CapFriendly, the Avalanche have $3.91 million in available cap space while the Flames have $2.76 million free.

Plus, Kadri joining the Isles would be a great fit for both sides. New York would be getting a talented offensive player who tallied a career-high 87 points (28 goals and 59 assists) last season for Colorado and now has the valuable experience of winning a Stanley Cup.

The Islanders could also be in a position to soon compete for a title themselves. They made the playoffs every year from 2019-21, and although they missed the postseason this past season, they have enough talented players to get back there during the 2022-23 campaign.

New York has a solid young core, and adding Kadri to the mix as a veteran leader would potentially help take it to the next level.

So, Kadri doesn't need to wait much longer. He should sign with the Islanders at the rumored terms they're offering and get to work trying to help this franchise improve into the future.