Nazem Kadri Set To Sign With Islanders As Team Looks To Clear Cap Space

Nazem Kadri might be set to join the New York Islanders.

The free agent, who is coming fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Colorado Avalanche, has yet to sign as teams look to clear cap space.

The Islanders appear to be moving in that direction – but will need to make multiple transactions to fit Kadri under the cap, according to NHL analyst David Pagnotta.

“A lot of people that I am talking to around the league believe there is something in place with the Islanders and Nazem Kadi,” Pagnotta said in an NHL Network appearance.

He added, “a lot of speculation over the weekend that this might be coming to fruition.”

In cap space alone, more than $11 million will be enough to squeeze in Kadri.

However, the Islanders have two key restricted defensemen free agents that have not been signed: Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov.

While it’s unclear how much the two will sign up for exactly, that will clearly take up several million dollars in the cap.

That means the Islanders will have to make at least one corresponding move.

A trade of Josh Bailey, who has a $5 million cap hit with two years left, could happen to give the Islanders more cap space, according to Pagnotta.

The 32-year-old winger does not have a not trade or a no-movement clause, according to CapFriendly.   

And interestingly enough, Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello was a proponent of Kadri back when he was calling the shots for the Toronto Maple Leafs.  

“I want him in a seventh game of the Stanley Cup,” Lamoriello told Sportsnet 590 in 2016.

He added, “I want him out there when the game is on the line because he brings everything and leaves [it all on the ice].”

He did, however, note at the time that he wasn’t a “first-line” center – but perhaps his perception of that has changed now.

Kadri, who would likely play in the Islanders’ top-six, is coming off an 87-point season last year with the Avalanche.

The now 31-year-old scored 28 goals and registered 59 assists in 71 games in 2021-2022.