NHL ban hammers Kadri
Three games for hit on Wingels makes challenge tougher
Nazem Kadri was talking to reporters back in December when he said to his buddy Leo Komarov, “They’re asking why I’m never getting suspended again.” Kadri had worked hard to take the extra edge off his game, was drawing penalties rather than committing them, estimated he had paid something like $400,000 U.S. in fines over the years. He said, “I’m not arguing with what I get paid, I make a good living. I just have to stop doing stupid s---, that’s all.”
On Friday evening Kadri was suspended for three games for taking a run at the head of prone Boston winger Tommy Wingels in the third period of Toronto’s 5-1 loss to the Bruins in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. It is Kadri’s fourth suspension; his last one, in April 2016, came when he got angry and skated to deliver a retaliatory cross-check to the face of Detroit’s Luke Glendening.
This was seen as a reprise, and so he got hammered. Kadri had tried to reform himself: his first two suspensions, for head hits to Minnesota goaltender Niklas Backstrom in 2013 and Edmon- ton’s Matt Fraser in 2015, were predatory hits. He tried to refine his technique, keep his arms and legs tucked, but Kadri still lived on the line: his hit to the body and head of Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin in November 2016 was borderline. But he seemed to be reining himself in. Back-to-back 30-goal seasons — only 11 other players have done that the past two years — and a reduction in the throat-slash gestures, in penalties, the stupid s---. Kadri said earlier this year, “Now, when I go hit somebody I’m thinking about that stuff. I don’t want to hurt them, and I want to have enough respect and integrity for the game not to be dirty and cheap-shot people.” It was just three years ago that Leafs president Brendan Shanahan suspended Kadri for unspecified off-ice behaviour, and essentially told him to grow up. He did.
And then came Thursday night. Kadri was running around in a red-hot rink and the Bruins were kicking Toronto around, and he had already thrown two borderline hits. And then Kadri saw little Mitch Marner, his teammate and linemate, get an elbow in the face along the boards. Kadri charged.
Tommy Wingels, who had hit Marner, fell to his knees. He had time to look up and brace himself before Kadri’s hip arrived.
“I mean, with Naz, he's an emotional player,” said Komarov. “He's tough and he wants to win really badly. I think what he does for the team is always good. And sometimes … like five minutes yesterday was nothing you really want to see, but it happens. If you play hard, it happens. It happened yesterday, maybe not perfect time, but I think he'll bounce back from that.”
It’s the rest of the Leafs who will have to bounce back. Kadri was raised by his father to play and live fearlessly, to never back down, to fight back. Sometimes he snaps. As he said, “I wouldn’t think about it; I’d say go for it and whatever happens, happens.” For a long time, he didn’t think about consequences.
Now, he has to watch them unfold. The Bruins are a colossal challenge: their top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak was dominant in Game 1, and their other lines weren’t so far behind. It was only one game, but Toronto has to be much better to make this a long series. They can, if they play to their potential. This Leafs team is good.
But now they have to try to clamber back without Kadri until Game 5, which is not guaranteed. On Friday, coach Mike Babcock jumbled the lines: the most significant move was Komarov, on the fourth line since January, replacing Zach Hyman on Toronto’s top line with Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Patrick Marleau became the secondline centre, with Hyman on one wing; Andreas Johnsson, who is promising, was added to what was a dreadful fourth line in Game 1.
It will make things harder. Komarov’s demotion, coupled with Marner’s ascension to play with Kadri, was a big part of Toronto’s second-half surge. The fist-like Finn always gives an honest effort, which is why he’s one of Babcock’s safety blankets.
“I think the biggest thing is, (Komarov) was competitive last night,” said Babcock. “We're trying to get the most competitive people involved as much as we possibly can.”
But Babcock also said Matthews had to get going, and Komarov seems an unlikely accelerator. Komarov played 895 minutes at five-on-five this year and registered 10 points; among Leafs forwards who played at least 50 minutes, only Eric Fehr delivered less offence per minute played. Leo might rile up Marchand, but it seems like Marchand plays better annoyed.
In 2016, Kadri said, “I just care about this organization, the guys in this room. Opposing teams and players and fans isn’t really a top priority for me.” He cared enough that he saw Marner get hurt and tried to avenge him, and in that moment all the old instincts came back.
Nazem Kadri screwed up. Now the guys in the room have to try to keep this series from spinning out of control without him, and all he can do is watch.