Kadri’s career hit ‘crossroad’ in 2015

Veteran Maple Leaf admits team suspension helped his outlook

In March 2015, Nazem Kadri had his most humiliating experience as a Toronto Maple Leaf.

After showing up late to a team meeting on a Sunday morning, interim coach Peter Horachek suspended Kadri for three games. Kadri wasn’t making a good impression on newly hired president Brendan Shanahan, who was in the process of putting together the team he wanted for the future and was concerned the forward didn’t seem interested in being a part of the rebuild.

Two and a half years later, Kadri calls the episode a “crossroad.”

“That point in time I had to make a decision and looking back I felt like I made the right one,” Kadri said this week as the Maple Leafs opened training camp. It was assistant general manager Mark Hunter who vouched for Kadri based on their time together with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights.

“I feel Mark put his neck on the line for me and said, ‘This kid can be a player,’” Kadri, 26, said. “He had my back and I’ll always have his. I want to make him look good.”

Kadri is in a better place now, saying the current vibe in Toronto is “night and day” compared to his early years in the league.

“When this all started, I knew I could do it, just had to change a few things to become important to the franchise along with teammates’ help, guidance from management and coaching staff,” said Kadri. “I just didn’t want to disappoint, so I needed to figure it out.”

Kadri stayed focused on hockey and eventually earned the trust of the new regime, landing a six-year contract extension worth US$27 million that keeps him in the Leafs fold until 2021-22. Last season, Kadri reached the 30-goal mark for the first time.