Is Kadri a 1C?

[firstemperor]

Drai is a center and was unreal in the playoffs as a center on another line than McDavid. Giroux has played center his whole career, and isnt a winger just because he plays on the wing right now because they have tons of centers atm.
Staal had 65 points last season, Krejci is easily better when healthy. Some of them are pretty even but i would rather have Stepan for example than Kadri. Trocheck is better imo etc. Its just my list and i dont many if anyone on that list that he is clearly better than. Just my opinion, and as a Leaf fan you obviously rate Kadri higher if they are pretty even.

I mean, Kadri just came off a bit above ~30/30, is on pace for more than that this year i.e. PPG so far 11 games in, and even in the tank year, 3 years ago......was on pace for the same if you factor in a shooting 6.5% (I.E. half of the league average.....unsustainable, unlucky). He also faces top notch competition every night.....he's no slouch. His wingers haven't been world-beaters either....he's played with Komarov, Paranteau. Best winger he's had was a rookie Connor Brown IMO, think he's better than a 38 year old Marleau...

He's not a #1C to me as I said, but your selling him a bit short to me, though I respect your opinion.

Drai played with McDavid at C and Maroon.

I mentioned Giroux as a winger because your post operates on the function of "this year"

Disagree with Krejci (at this point in his career) and definitely on Stepan/Trocheck. Though, I do think Stepan was better in the past, Kadri has surpassed him in value/play IMO. Not just relative to Kadri, but everyone else on there.

There's no chance to me Staal, at this point in his career, is better than Kadri...the game is way too fast for him to be as effective like he used to + some decline. He's one of the odd-balls on your list, IMO.

Bunch of other debatable players on there for me, appreciate the response and respect your opinion.

you said right now you would comfortably take Drouin Point Zibanejad and Little (injuries) over Kadri though. Maybe a bit biased against him.

Granlund has been playing on the wing.

This was my rankings before the season so I did take injuries into consideration (Little, Couturier, Stamkos etc and Zetterberg on LW)

1. McDavid
2. Crosby
3. Malkin
4. Bergeron
5. Getzlaf
6. Tavares
7. Matthews (moving up)
8. Seguin
9. Backstrom
10. Stamkos
11. Kopitar
12. Barkov
13. Eichel
14. Toews
15. Johansen
16. Kuznetsov
17. Giroux
18. Scheifele
19. Carter
20. Couture

21 Kesler
22 Thornton
23 MacKinnon
24 Duchene
25 Kadri
26 Koivu
27 Backlund
28 J.Staal
29 Trocheck
30 Couturier

Very good list, particularly on the bottom half IMO. Though, Monahan, Wennberg, and a few others deserve to be on there....over Trocheck, Couturier IMO.

Jordan Staal is very underrated, deserves to be on there.

Don't agree with some in the top 10-15 but fair enough.

 

[varano]

I think Kadri is right where he should be. He needs a lighter matchup than a 1C to really shine

 

[VoluntaryDom]

hes a top 31 c so I guess yes

 

[Regal]

I think there's about 15 guys who are the elite 1Cs, and another couple guys who are definitely better, then about 20 guys who are on a similar level of high end 2Cs/low end 1Cs that he fits in. It's probably easier than not to argue he's a top 31 C, but not a definite

 

[General Fanager]

Full credit to him but nope he isnt. He benefits alot hiding behind Mathews. If he was Torontos #1 and got those numbers then of course the answer is yes, but teams load up vs Mathews and he faces 2nd-3rd lines.....

 

[Ainec]

Full credit to him but nope he isnt. He benefits alot hiding behind Mathews. If he was Torontos #1 and got those numbers then of course the answer is yes, but teams load up vs Mathews and he faces 2nd-3rd lines.....

Hmmmmmm

 

[General Fanager]

Hmmmmmm

You disagree?

 

[Holymakinaw]

Nope, but one of the best 2C's out there.

This.

 

[Ainec]

You disagree?

Yea considering he plays against top lines more than Matthews

 

[firstemperor]

Full credit to him but nope he isnt. He benefits alot hiding behind Mathews. If he was Torontos #1 and got those numbers then of course the answer is yes, but teams load up vs Mathews and he faces 2nd-3rd lines.....

A lot of ignorance in this post.

Kadri plays the top line far more than the Matthews line on last change, vice versa with opponents that match us up. He hides behind nobody.

Normalizes to both getting ~#1/#2 competition most nights. Given that a lot of teams have at least, 2 strong lines they ride these days, it's not a huge variation.

It's only Bozak's line that gets to feast on lesser competition. And they suck at it

 

[General Fanager]

Yea considering he plays against top lines more than Matthews

A lot of ignorance in this post.

Kadri plays the top line far more than the Matthews line on last change, vice versa with opponents that match us up. He hides behind nobody.

Normalizes to both getting ~#1/#2 competition most nights.

It's only Bozak's line that gets to feast on lesser competition.

OK.....Then tell me this. When did this #1 C start this offensive boom? Thats right when Mathews got there. I just meant that teams load up defensively vs Mathews.

Before last year Kadri was always 15-20 goal at best and Mathews get there and he hits 32. A coincidence??

 

[sparxx87]

I don’t like putting numbers on it because there isn’t 31 1c’s in the game... but your team probably isn’t very good if he’s your best c.

 

[firstemperor]

OK.....Then tell me this. When did this #1 C start this offensive boom? Thats right when Mathews got there. I just meant that teams load up defensively vs Mathews.

Before last year Kadri was always 15-20 goal at best and Mathews get there and he hits 32. A coincidence??

1) Never implied he was a #1C, there's only about ~15 #1C's in the league to me. Kadri is a high-end #2C to me.. There are a lot of bad teams in this league and one of the main reasons why is they don't have a #1C.

2) He was already a very good young player before Babcock. Was he stunted by Carlysle/Wilson? Probably

Regardless, even before Matthews, he was pacing similarily to how he is now- if you factor in his unsustainable SH% (again, half of the league average). That could be credied to Babcock optimzing his talent,effectiveness, role definition....and some combination of entering his prime years. He's not a young player anymore.

3) Is it possible Matthews elevated his play? Sure, from a competitive standpoint and helping foster a winning enviornment.

It is due to deployment or usage or "hiding behind Matthews"? No

 

[WesMcCauley]

you said right now you would comfortably take Drouin Point Zibanejad and Little (injuries) over Kadri though. Maybe a bit biased against him.

Granlund has been playing on the wing.

This was my rankings before the season so I did take injuries into consideration (Little, Couturier, Stamkos etc and Zetterberg on LW)

1. McDavid
2. Crosby
3. Malkin
4. Bergeron
5. Getzlaf
6. Tavares
7. Matthews (moving up)
8. Seguin
9. Backstrom
10. Stamkos
11. Kopitar
12. Barkov
13. Eichel
14. Toews
15. Johansen
16. Kuznetsov
17. Giroux
18. Scheifele
19. Carter
20. Couture

21 Kesler
22 Thornton
23 MacKinnon
24 Duchene
25 Kadri
26 Koivu
27 Backlund
28 J.Staal
29 Trocheck
30 Couturier

No i didnt. If you actually read my post you would know. Zibanajad and Point i had in () which meant i think they are pretty equal with Kadri. Drouin i would take over Kadri, same with a healthy Little.

 

[Atomos2]

OK.....Then tell me this. When did this #1 C start this offensive boom? Thats right when Mathews got there. I just meant that teams load up defensively vs Mathews.

Before last year Kadri was always 15-20 goal at best and Mathews get there and he hits 32. A coincidence??

Well he did get 44 points in a 48 game season when he came into the league but I guess we just ignore that

 

[LeafFever]

Statistically and overall play, yes. Maybe not ideal if you are a cup contender, but he's damn good.
His contract is such a steal. 4.5 million per through his prime years. And it ends just as he starts to decline (Maybe).

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I mean its not crazy to suggest he's one of the 30 best centers in the league, so TECHNICALLY yes. Although you could argue that not every team has a true 1C and that being top 30 doenst make you one necessarily

 

[Holymakinaw]

Why do we have to label everyone/everything? Kadri is a VERY good Centre for the Leafs, and he also plays behind Auston Matthews, the #1C the Leafs have been dreaming about since Sundin left. As good as Matthews is, I think Kadri has been incredible the last 2-3 years. He could be a #1 Centre on crap teams like Montreal or Vancouver, but clearly would not be a #1C on Pittsburgh or Tampa.

He is what he is. And I love having him on my team.

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

Hahahahahahahahaa

 

[LeafingTheWay]

OK.....Then tell me this. When did this #1 C start this offensive boom? Thats right when Mathews got there. I just meant that teams load up defensively vs Mathews.

Before last year Kadri was always 15-20 goal at best and Mathews get there and he hits 32. A coincidence??

Take this in:
1st yr as 1C: 2014-2015: Last 2/3 of season = 60 point pace
2nd yr as 1C: 2015-2016: 60 point pace
3rd yr as 2C/1C: 82 point pace

 

[LeafFever]

Hahahahahahahahaa

Look sat kadri's stats=Yes he is.

 

[Menzinger]

Well he did get 44 points in a 48 game season when he came into the league but I guess we just ignore that

I guess one must ignore all evidence that doesn't fit your argument lol

 

[leafsfan1234]

He is a top 30 C but not a "true 1C". Similar to guys like Turris and O`Reilly.

 

[Menzinger]

yes, we have different definitions

a team with Kadri as their 1c is 0-4 in the first round

Based on.....?

You're definition of #1C seems to be "because I said so", which is fine, but hard for others to respond

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

Take this in:
1st yr as 1C: 2014-2015: Last 2/3 of season = 60 point pace
2nd yr as 1C: 2015-2016: 60 point pace
3rd yr as 2C/1C: 82 point pace

last year teams built strategy against the leafs around matthews, not kadri. kadri was not a 1c last year.