Pending UFA Nazem Kadri switches agents; new agent has ties to Habs, Leafs

It's not out of the question for Kadri to return to Colorado next season, but a recent shift in representation could indicate that Kadri may have plans to come back to Canada this summer.

During Saturday's edition of 32 Thoughts on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Kadri had changed agents, hiring Darren Ferris of Quartexx Management. If the name sounds familia, it's because Ferris also represents Leafs superstar winger Mitch Marner.

While it's certainly possible that Kadri would entertain the idea of returning to his hometown, it is worth noting that the end of his tenure in Toronto was not exactly ideal, with GM Kyle Dubas attempting to move the impact forward on more than one occasion, despite his obvious preference to stay put.

Ultimately, Kadri was dealt to the Avs in the Tyson Barrie/Alexander Kerfoot deal, and has not looked back, fully embracing his time in Denver and making the absolute most of it. It is worth noting that he was once again suspended in the 2021 playoffs, showing that he may not have yet learned his lesson.

While Kadri and Ferris certainly have their connections to Toronto, there's another team where the connections are greater - and it's not Denver. It's the Montreal Canadiens.

New Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes was a former colleague of Darren Ferris at Quartexx, and the Habs have an obvious need to bring in a first or second line center. Ferris also represents Habs winger Josh Anderson. While these details on their own may be a bit of a stretch as to why Kadri may entertain the idea of signing with the Canadiens, there is another factor here that we aren't considering. Kadri grew up a Canadiens fan.

Kadri has not tipped his hand as to what his plans for the future might be, but a return to Canada certainly seems like a possibility.