ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski wrote a column for ESPN+ which discusses seven possible destinations for free agent forward Nazem Kadri, and he says the following about Detroit as a possible landing spot:
Cap space: $10,296,111
Does Kadri fit into the Yzer plan? Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has made some money moves in the offseason, signing David Perron ($4.75 million AAV), Andrew Copp ($5.625 million AAV), Ben Chiarot ($4.75 million), Dominik Kubalik ($2.5 million AAV) and Olli Maatta ($2.25 million AAV) in free agency and trading for goalie Ville Husso. That’s an entire starting lineup!
The Red Wings still have the flexibility this season to bring in Kadri and then have a bunch of players coming off their cap in 2023-24. If they don’t have to go too long in term with Kadri, he makes a lot of sense. Kadri slots in behind Dylan Larkin as the No. 2 center. Copp could fill that role or shift to the wing or drop down to No. 3 center — his versatility made him a trade deadline darling last season.
Perron brings a ring to the Red Wings dressing room. So would Kadri. That’s important for a young team learning how to win. But that’s also part of the consideration for Kadri: Detroit is trying to turn the corner, but is it close enough to contention for Kadri?
Continued; I don’t see a fit, but that’s just me.
Nope. We already signed a younger version of Kadri (four years, but still) in Copp.