Nazem Kadri: will he be a good fit for the Islanders?
As August begins, the big name of Stanley Cup champion, Nazem Kadri is still on the table as a Restricted Free Agent, or RFA, who has yet to be signed.
To recap: as an RFA, an offer Kadri receives will be sent to his current team, The Avalanche, who will have the opportunity to match it and keep Kadri on their team. In addition to Kadri’s RFA status, many rumors have been flying around connecting him to the New York Islanders, so let’s break down what this means and if it makes any sense.
Nazem Kadri as a player can be determined through many various statistics but to combine most of them, his GAR, or Goals Above Replacement, stats can show how much he contributes to his team as a whole, therefore assigning him value. GAR generally explains how much better a certain player is compared to a player who were to replace them. According to Evolving Hockey, Kadri’s GAR number for the ‘21-’22 season was a 21.8. This 21.8 accumulates everything that Kadri did on the ice to help his team win this season, and the number is fairly high. This means Kadri is a crucial member of his team and his place allows them to win games, the ultimate goal of any team.
Now, why would the Avalanche not keep Kadri? The Avalanche currently have only 4 million in cap space, and Kadri’s GAR places his salary well over that 4 million mark considering he was making 4 million when his GAR was around an 8. The Islanders on the other hand, who have been linked to Kadri, have about 11 million in cap space, not including their UFA’s who are still unsigned.
Image via Hockey Viz
Other than the fact that the Islanders have the cap space for Kadri, they are in desperate need of a forward who produces. The Islanders biggest issue this past season, was their inability to score goals, something that Kadri’s GAR shows he is very talented at. According to Evolving Hockey, the Islanders ranked 18th in GF/60 (goals for per 60) and 27th in SF/60 (shots for per 60.) To the Islanders, Kadri seems to be the last piece needed in their puzzle of players.
Considering Kadri’s GAR and the Islanders struggles to produce, Kadri seems like their perfect match. The only thing left to do is wait for Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello to make his choice.