With the trade deadline just four days away, rumors continue to heat up around the league as the separation between buyers and sellers grows larger.

The Avalanche are among the teams, again, looking to buy. They sit No. 1 in the league and have one of, if not the strongest, 1-2 center punch with Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson. But they’re still looking for more down the middle, as the third-line center role continues to be a point of discussion ahead of Friday’s deadline.

According to Chris Johnston of TSN, The Athletic, and SDPN, talks between the Avalanche and Flames have picked up. The Avs’ front office, consisting of general manager Chris MacFarland, assistant GM Kevin McDonald, and assistant to the GM Andrew Cogliano, was all present for the Flames’ game at Anaheim on Sunday.

Colorado is in southern California as it is. They play the L.A. Kings on Monday night and Anaheim on Tuesday. So it could just be that. Or it could be something more.

“Definitely, things are picking up with talks between the Avalanche and Flames. The Avs are in L.A. I believe, so it wasn’t a far commute. It wasn’t as if those people flew across the country to see Nazem Kadri,” Johnston said on his latest SDPN podcast episode with co-host Julian McKenzie. “Obviously, they know a lot about Nazem Kadri. They were around when he was a part of the team previously. But I will say this, having watched some of that game last night, Nazem Kadri played like a guy who knew there were some important eyeballs on him. He almost ended the game in overtime, scored a shootout goal, and he’s played quite well, especially since the return from the Olympic break.”

The Avs flew to California today. They play the Kings tomorrow and the Ducks on Tuesday. It could simply just be that.

Or it could be something more https://t.co/EuVrqaUvXv

— Aarif Deen (@runwriteAarif) March 2, 2026

Kadri signed with the Calgary Flames in August 2022, nearly two months after winning the Stanley Cup with the Avs. Traditionally, the top free agents don’t take longer than a few days, or up to a week, to land a new deal. But Kadri waited five weeks before signing that contract. It was a unique situation where the flat cap didn’t allow for a bidding war.

He wanted to return to Colorado, and the Avs preferred to keep him. But the salary cap would not allow it at the time. Instead, Kadri signed a seven-year contract worth $7 million per season to join a Flames team that was still expected to contend. He’s now in the fourth year of that deal and hasn’t played a playoff game since the night the Avs won the Stanley Cup in Tampa Bay. Additionally, the salary cap has since jumped by $13 million. And next year, it’ll take another leap of at least $8.5 million.

“I do think it’s getting more and more likely that he moves. There’s always been a little bit of a question mark with him just because of the contract term remaining. Three more years for a guy who’s 35,” Johnston said. “Right now, the way it looks is that Colorado could be at the front of the list. But we’re down to one-phone-call territory, where everything could change in a moment’s notice.”

The Avs cleared more cap space last week when they dealt Samuel Girard and his $5 million cap hit, along with a pick, to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the cheaper Brett Kulak ($2.75 million). That move also cleared $5 million in space for next season.

Following the trade, Colorado jumped to a little more than $9.8 million in available cap space, according to Puck Pedia. It’s more than enough to add Kadri, while still having the space to activate Logan O’Connor off long-term injury reserve, if the winger is healthy and able to return later this season.

“Certainly having some key decision-makers in the Avalanche front office in the building, and the fact that Colorado did free up a little bit more cap space with the Samuel Girard, Brett Kulak move they made with Pittsburgh recently. Needing to address, or wanting to address a third-line center position. I think if you’re going to do that, it does make sense to bring someone back who you know has been a fit in the past,” Johnston said. “I know he’d welcome a move to Colorado. … We’ll see if they can get something done here in the next day or two.”

Conflicting reports from Sportsnet’s NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman suggest that the Avs might not be able to make it work. Friedman said Kadri’s cap hit could be an issue for the Avs without retention. Colorado is a year and a half away from seeing Cale Makar’s number jump from $9 million to perhaps double that amount, or close to it.

Friedman threw the name Scott Laughton of the Maple Leafs out there as a potential fit for the Avs. Laughton would be a pure rental, as he makes just $1.5 million against Toronto’s cap due to previous retention by the Philadelphia Flyers. He is a pending unrestricted free agent but has spent the majority of the season playing fourth-line minutes.

Friedman says Kadri to COL would be difficult since CGY isn’t interested in retaining, believes another C could end up there (NHL on TNT): “One of the centres I heard could end up in Colorado is Scott Laughton, I think would be a tremendous fit and he would be more of a rental”

— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) March 2, 2026