Nazem Kadri was widely considered the second-best free agent in the 2022 class, right behind winger Johnny Gaudreau. While the latter got a seven-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Kadri still sits on the market unsigned one week into free agency.
This might be typical for baseball, but not in the NHL, where the top free agents are usually signed within hours of the negotiating period. However, the salary cap has been flat for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it's only going up by $1 million next season, making it difficult for teams to sign free agents to big-money deals.