Kadri takes on defensive role
Maple Leafs’ forward helps tame L. A. Kings sniper in 4- 3 SO victory
The other day Nazem Kadri was talking about how he seemed to be getting all the tough defensive assignments lately and how it was a sign that he had not only matured as a player but also had gained the coach’s trust.
In the past, no coach would be caught dead with having Kadri on the ice against the other team’s top line. Two years ago, head coach Randy Carlyle did not even trust him to take defensive- zone faceoffs. But the once- skinny, out- of-shape centre, whose game used to be a high- wire act of highlight- reel goals and giveaways, has done a lot of growing in the last few months.
You can see it with the eight goals and 19 points — 17 of which were scored at even strength — he has scored this season. But more than that, you can see it with his increasing ice time and the way he is being used. In a 4- 1 win against the Detroit Red Wings Saturday, Kadri scored a goal and was a plus- 1 while matching up against Henrik Zetterberg. A day later, he was a plus- 2 with one assist in a 4- 3 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings, all while keeping Anze Kopitar’s line off the scoresheet. When asked if he could have handled these types of assignments a year ago, even the confident — if not cocky — Kadri had to be honest with himself.
“I probably couldn’t have done it as well,” he said. “I think, like I said, it’s the development and the maturity of your game. Just kind of trying to take steps in the right direction.”
What we are seeing this season is Kadri’s evolution from a onedimensional scorer to a two- way forward. Considering where he was two months ago — never mind two years ago — it has been a steep learning curve.
Kadri struggled early this season against the likes of Zetterberg and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin and went a six- game stretch without a point in October. At one point, he was even dropped from the power play.
But with three goals and 10 points and a plus- 10 rating in his last nine games, he has been everything you could ask for in a No. 2 centre. In some ways, he has been everything the Leafs could ask in a No. 1 centre.
“I love playing against the top players,” Kadri said.
“It’s definitely an assignment I’ve wanted for a long time, so having the staff and the players’ faith in me, you don’t want to let them down so you do everything you can.”