I give credit to management but also at the same time to Kadri as well.
They saw what Kadri could be great at and sold him on it. To his credit, he worked his but off getting stronger, working on his shot, etc. Kadri has a great attitude to be great in the NHL because he is fearless. He isn't scared of nothing or no one.
As a young kid, he was always known as a skilled guy with great hands and could always make plays, liked getting under people's skin. To see him take pride in doing the defensive work so well and score 25-30+ goals while still seeing a lot of skill from Naz is FANtastic. It's not like he's become some grinder, don't get it twisted.
As a Top-10 pick you get a lot of unfair expectations put on you to do something significant in a few years. Being a Maple Leafs selection in a time they are 're-tooling' doesn't help. Some are not able to translate their junior dominance into the NHL right away.
Kadri was a victim to this. He had a lot of great moments but made silly plays, was irresponsible in his zone, bad habits like partying with Lupul & Bozak along with coming late to practices doesn't help. But also being surrounded with his cast of players (below-average except #81, bad influence, me-first) and coaches (Wilson, Carlyle) he was bound to fail or go back to AHL.
He had all the skill & talent but the hard work and dedication which is Babcock's bread & butter, disappeared and got replaced with blue & white disease which was so apparent in so many players in our dark days.
No coach likes skilled players that don't work. Kadri would tell you himself of the man he's become over the years. That's partly on Babcock & Shanahan, and partly on Nazem and his family. Kadri respects management & coaching and we've been seeing the dividends the last several years on the ice & off the ice.
Now I just enjoy the YouTube video of Burkie talking to Sens' GM Murray about the first round picks in 2009 on the floor.
BM: Well....I'd love to...—
(cuts off Murray)
BB: "Kadri — Is that the kid you want?
BM: (stuttering) Uhhhhmm yah —
(cuts off Murray mid agreement)
BB: YAH, well were taking him!!
BM: Ok
BB: Ok thanks.
Sens end up taking Jared Cowan