TEMPEST STILL BREWING
Marlies coach Eakins says no one’s out to “destroy’’ Kadri despite Don Cherry’s blustering,
Take a little bit of criticism of Nazem Kadri, throw in a grenade from Don Cherry, add a jibe from Dallas Eakins, mix it up in a fishbowl of a hockey market fixated on their Maple Leafs and starved for hockey, and, boy, do you have something juicy.
Eakins, the fitness-committed coach of the Toronto Marlies, defended his criticism of Kadri that led to Cherry chastising the Leafs organization while at the same time praising the host of Coach’s Corner and getting in a dig.
“Don is headstrong and I am 100 per cent sure he believes everything he told that person to type on Twitter,” Eakins told the Star. “If Don Cherry is walking around with a Twitter account — if he’s actually the guy doing the typing — Twitter has absolutely made it.”
Cherry had accused the Leafs of being out to “destroy” Kadri because of the club’s public criticism of their 2009 first-round draft pick.
“I have never in my life seen a kid treated like Nazem Kadri by the Leafs,” Cherry tweeted.
But Eakins didn’t back down. He insisted he’s a huge Cherry fan — he tapes all the Coach’s Corner episodes — and expressed disappointment Cherry hadn’t come to Marlies games.
“I’m not mad at Don, I’m not rattled at Don. I just don’t agree with what he said,” said Eakins. “I’ve never seen him at a game, or a practice. I’ve never seen him come down and say hi to our players, or me.
“I’m sure he’s a busy man. I hope he will come down and chat with me and more importantly come down and walk in the dressing room and talk with the players. My players would love it.”
As for Kadri, the 21-year-old highend prospect caught in the middle of this storm, Eakins says he’s handling it well. It all started when Eakins deemed it “unacceptable” that Kadri’s body-fat level was among the worst on the team.
Eakins said he was puzzled that it became such a talking point in the city.
“Two years ago, I said we need this young man to have a better commitment to not turning over pucks, recognizing danger. And he got way better at that,” said Eakins. “Last year, I said we need this guy to make a bigger commitment to the Dzone coverage. And he did. He got better.
“This year, I said he needs a better commitment to the way he eats, and people went crazy.”
There are hints that Kadri is not committed, that he feels entitled to a career in the NHL without working his way up from the AHL. Some simply believe Kadri is a better NHLer than AHLer, that his game can’t shine in the dump-and-chase minors.
Kadri worked out in the summer with Gary Roberts, the ex-NHLer who runs a strict training regimen, and said he felt as strong as he ever has.
Then came the body-fat bombshell on day one of camp. Eakins said he’d never sugar-coat an answer, that AHL players especially need to hear the truth.
“I could put down 35 things I think are important to being an NHL player: skating, power, eating habits. They’re all equal to me. Why would I ever, at the AHL level, look away on one thing?” said Eakins.
“He still needs improvement. He’s not at where we want him to be. It’s not important now what the test showed, what’s important now is what we work on. Nazem Kadri is in 100 per cent. He’s motivated. He knows what he needs to do. He is making improvements. We have to keep pushing him in the right direction. He’s all in.”