Rumor: Nazem Kadri signing with New York Islanders

The last remaining big-name free agent on the market, Nazem Kadri, is rumored to be signing with the New York Islanders within the next few weeks. The 31-year-old center scored 87 points in 71 games last year and 15 points in 16 playoff games on route to his first Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. Kadri is now looking to capitalize off his career year and sign a long-term extension with a franchise this summer. Earlier in the week, Elliotte Friedman mentioned that the Colorado Avalanche and New York Islanders are the two front-runners for Kadri. Additional reports from David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period and Frank Seravalli from the Daily Faceoff confirmed that the Islanders and Kadri were in contract talks.

Nazem Kadri would be a significant addition to the New York Islanders roster, which had a disappointing season last year. The Islanders’ lack of goal-scoring and offensive abilities was their main downfall, finishing bottom 10 in goals scored in the entire league. If the Islanders hope to return to the playoffs next season, they need to bolster their offense. That’s where Kadri comes into the equation. Adding an established top-six forward to an already experienced team would set the Islanders up for success. A new head coach, a new system, and the acquisition of Nazem Kadri could be enough for the Islanders to regain a playoff spot in the competitive Eastern Conference.

New York Islanders Projected Lineup with Nazem Kadri

Andres Lee – Matthew Barzal – Kyle Palmieri

Brock Nelson – Nazem Kadri – Anthony Beauvillier

Josh Bailey – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Oliver Wahlstrom

Matt Martin – Casey Cizikas – Cal Clutterbuck

Adam Pelech – Ryan Pulock

Alexander Romanov – Noah Dobson

Robin Salo – Scott Mayfield

Ilya Sorokin

Semyon Varlamov

Scratched: Zach Parise, Kieffer Bellows, Sebastian Aho

The terms of the contract are going to be the most difficult part of this deal. It was reported that Nazem Kadri is seeking a long-term contract in the range of $9 million which is a steep price. However, Frank Seravalli said “I think [the Islanders] put an offer on the table for Kadri. Other teams have told me they believe it’s in the 7×7 range.” The two sides appear to be far off in their negotiation, but we believe that they will meet in the middle with a seven-year, $8 million per season contract towards the end of August.