SCORELESS KADRI NOT IN FRETTING MODE YET
Remember when talk revolved around how other teams could possibly check centres Auston Matthews, John Tavares and Nazem Kadri in a game without letting one of them inflict damage?
Through eight games, Kadri has yet to hurt the opposition on the scoreboard, but don’t expect the needling he’s getting to affect him while that zero sits there. Kadri remained upbeat as ever on Friday, the night after none of his team-high five shots on goal got through in a 3-0 shutout loss to Pittsburgh.
He invited a kids’ team to watch the Leaf practice, talked mischievously of using the dark arts on faceoffs against returning friend Tyler Bozak in Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Blues and exhibited none of the frustration he’s shown on the ice, staring skyward at the Scotiabank Arena rafters when stopped or shooting high and wide. This is Kadri after all, who has seen more calamity in his career than the average Leaf, some his own doing, but also the team’s missteps early in his tenure. Not scoring in October? That’s considered light turbulence. How is the most optimistic Leaf handling this slump?
“You said it, with optimism,” Kadri chirped. “I know my capabilities. I’m just trying to stay confident. I feel I’m generating lots of plays out there and getting lots of offence. I have an opportunity to score every game. They’re just not falling for me.” Coach Mike Babcock has not been shy to say Kadri’s third line is a work in progress as far as offence goes. The hope was Josh Leivo would make the most of his chance on the left side, but he’s now on the fourth line. Par Lindholm, centre on the fourth unit is now there and doing well, with Kadri and regular right winger Connor Brown. Lindholm stays, Babcock said Friday, though “if we get everyone on deck here, it will be different,” a reference to current holdout William Nylander returning and perhaps going to the right side of Kadri’s line while getting up to speed.
While Kadri is not yet near last year’s futility mark of 12 scoreless games or the 1-for-21 and 1-for-19 skids he endured in 2015-16. It must be hard when many Leafs are filling the net, led by Matthews and Tavares leading into the Pittsburgh game, which proved to be a washout for all concerned. Kadri, who has four assists, has yet to cash in on the vaunted Leaf power play.
“It’s a matter of getting the first one out of the way and then they’ll start to come in bunches,” he insisted. “I know how to cope with these situations.” Babcock has been on Kadri’s case in the past, but knows this isn’t the time for public floggings. “Naz had his best practice of the year today,” Babcock declared. “He really skated and worked. I’m not (kidding), that’s important. You just keep going about your business.
“We haven’t matched up his line because of who is on it, but we think we’re in a position to start doing that here (with checking specialist Lindholm fitting in). That will be good for Naz. His line wasn’t set up for that at the start. Now that we’ve found Lindy, who is very comfortable with the puck and without it, we can start moving ahead to a longterm plan.”
Against St. Louis Saturday, Kadri is relishing a chance to test himself in the dots against fellow third-liner Bozak, for years his post-practice foil when assistant coaches dropped pucks for the two to scrap for. Bozak is doing well again with the Blues, at 55.8 per cent draw efficiency to Kadri’s 50.7.
“He has the bragging rights now (and better career numbers),” Kadri conceded. “(But) I know everything he does. I probably know him better than he knows himself.”
That aside, it will be emotional for Kadri to look across at a player who shared so many growing pains, endured many poor seasons and went through a few coaches and general managers, before a record 105-point season. They both arrived in 2009-10, wearing numbers 42 and 43. “He was there with me when we were in the cellar and slowly climbed our way out,” Kadri said. “We kind of saw the evolution of the Maple Leafs.
“Him, alongside a few others (such as James van Riemsdyk who also left as a UFA this summer), it was tough to see them go. It takes some time (getting used to) not seeing them in the room every day, but that’s the nature of the business.”
Kadri is hanging onto memories of some shared playoff goals in the two series the Babcock Leafs qualified for, and three major outdoor games, including the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium in front of nearly 105,000 people.
“I’m sure he’s found a new home there and we wish him all the best. He’s a dear friend.”
I feel I’m generating lots of plays out there and getting lots of offence. I have an opportunity to score every game.