News Article: From prospect to player, Nazem Kadri is making the most of his time in Toronto

[hotpaws]

It's what happens you allow/force a player to develop at a pace that suits him. It's why we brought in stop gaps like Connolly.

I know there were some who wanted him up right away and called it patience when it was the exact opposite they were looking for.

A 9 mil stop gap ?

We could have easily resigned Brent if all they were looking for was a stop gap .

No one knows how Kads would have done if he was brought up earlier , Kadri may have developed just as well if not better at the NHL level and with the confidence he has in his own abilty i would have much preferred we did bring him up earlier .

 

[G51 K81*]

What has really impressed me the most is Kadri's attention to detail on the defensive side. Always knew he would click offensively at some point but he has turned into more of a 2-way guy.

Also to the people saying he should have been in the NHL earlier...

 

[Guided by Veseys]

He's said that the AHL has benefited him in his development a lot, and if you read the actual quote from the article here, he doesn't say he should've been in the NHL first year. He says that's he's confident he could've. That's just his personality. There is imo a big difference.

Of course he is going to say the ahl benifitted him, there is no doubt of that being the case. The underlying theme of his comments is that he never felt comfortable or wanted as a maple leaf in the years past. If kadri had made the team out of training camp years ago and felt like a fit who knows where his game would be now. Some could speculate that he would have busted from the pressure but i think that is a serious cop out, his offensive game was just as potent in his entry year as it is now. The one major change to his game now is that he doesnt dipsy doodle at the blue line likehe used to. Stuff like that he could have figured out years ago at the nhl level. People shouldnt act like he was a poor player on the leafs in years past; there were plenty of excellent takeaways, hits, passes and goals. He has also drawn penalties consistently for the leafs over his years there. I really think that the leafs would have made the playoffs years ago if he had been a regular. But my feelings are just speculative just like all the others out there that feel that the ahl has been the true reason for kadri's success this year. Getting tired of people saying patience has paid off here.

 

[sangreale]

Me ... I am getting tired of people who say that he didn't benefit from his stay in the minors.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Me ... I am getting tired of people who say that he didn't benefit from his stay in the minors.

Great counter point!
I certainly didnt say he hasnt benefitted. I do think though that he has been good enough for the nhl for years and he could have crafted his game there just as well. It's all speculative though and certainly something to consider for all those crowing now about the leaf's great development system.

 

[Deebo]

his offensive game was just as potent in his entry year as it is now.

In his previous 2 seasons, Kadri had PPG averages of .41 and .33 this season it is .88.

He had 19 points in 50 NHL games before this season started, this season he has 14 points in 16 games.

He went on prolonged periods of very low production in both 10-11 and 11-12. He ended his last stint with the leafs last season registering 3 points in 14 games.

 

[Erndog]

I'd rather leave a kid in the minors for a little longer than not enough. Better to be over riped than under riped.

Not like we were competing for playoffs/cup the last few years anyways. Kadri in a losing environment, with some bad habits, and a little weaker/lighter on his skates won't be good for him.

Kadri on the Marlies, in a winning environment, with less pressure and becoming a go-to guy worked wonders (or so it seems).

 

[wc17]

What has really impressed me the most is Kadri's attention to detail on the defensive side. Always knew he would click offensively at some point but he has turned into more of a 2-way guy.

Also to the people saying he should have been in the NHL earlier...

A lot of young people on these boards...and if theyre not young, they havent been watching the game for too long.

Spending more time in Junior/AHL to develop shouldnt hurt anyone and can only help any young player. If it doesnt, and they pout (Not saying Kadri did this...) about it like they deserve better...then thats further proof that they shouldnt be in the NHL...

Kadri was developed well from the very beginning.

 

[ACC1224]

Great counter point!
I certainly didnt say he hasnt benefitted. I do think though that he has been good enough for the nhl for years and he could have crafted his game there just as well. It's all speculative though and certainly something to consider for all those crowing now about the leaf's great development system.

While it's unknown how he would have developed in the NHL, it is well known what the AHL did for his development.

 

[Darylman]

In his previous 2 seasons, Kadri had PPG averages of .41 and .33 this season it is .88.

He had 19 points in 50 NHL games before this season started, this season he has 14 points in 16 games.

He went on prolonged periods of very low production in both 10-11 and 11-12. He ended his last stint with the leafs last season registering 3 points in 14 games.

Misleading. He played on the WING with scrubs.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Misleading. He played on the WING with scrubs.

Correct.
And he very rarely saw pp time as well. He's racking up pp pts this year.

 

[Smif]

I wish Schenner would've had the chance to play for Eakins and avoid the mess Wilson put him through.

 

[Lebanese Leaf]

I love it. I never doubted he could become the player that he is. I had his back and argued against many of this site on several occasions. This isn't an "I told you so," but more of a "I'm so happy it worked out!"

I only see him getting better. I see no reason why Kadri can't turn into our franchise #1 C if he keeps developing the way he is. His defensive game has come a long way, and the kid is constantly putting his body on the line blocking shots. I can't wait till he shows everybody what he can do come playoff time (hopefully this year). He's always had an extra gear come playoff time at every level he's played at.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

A lot of young people on these boards...and if theyre not young, they havent been watching the game for too long.

God. What a cheap shot.
I feel the same way about you. You obviously have a blanket approach to development and you are not looking at it in the individual case by case manner that it requires.

 

[caramelontop]

ALL is well, that ends well. He should've been here, there, wherever. He's here now, Wilson is gone (sometimes found trolling on kadri threads. LOL ).

Kadri is here to stay in NHL and yes we don't know what could've been but I'm glad he was in AHL for the sole reason that in NHL Wilson would've destroyed this kid.

 

[ACC1224]

ALL is well, that ends well. He should've been here, there, wherever. He's here now, Wilson is gone (sometimes found trolling on kadri threads. LOL ).

Kadri is here to stay in NHL and yes we don't know what could've been but I'm glad he was in AHL for the sole reason that in NHL Wilson would've destroyed this kid.

Based on what?

 

[Guy Boucher]

A lot of young people on these boards...and if theyre not young, they havent been watching the game for too long.

Spending more time in Junior/AHL to develop shouldnt hurt anyone and can only help any young player. If it doesnt, and they pout (Not saying Kadri did this...) about it like they deserve better...then thats further proof that they shouldnt be in the NHL...

Kadri was developed well from the very beginning.

I don't know who you are but I have been watching the game far longer than you have.

Not only was Kadri good enough to be in the league earlier, had the Leafs coaching and conditioning staff evaluated his strengths properly, he would be even better than what he is right now.

If anything, they way they evaluated him and trained him - from having him put on additional mass to converting him to a winger - hindered his development rather than helped it.

He has succeeded despite this due to his natural and undeniable talent as well as some help from Eakins and Roberts/whoever he trains with now.

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Watching Frattin/Kadri/Scrivens/Reimer/Holzer/Gardiner it makes me realise the power of our coaching staff and developement crew. Our Leafs truly have a strong core of prospects and I would love to see the fans of other teams crap on our prospect pool now.

 

[G51 K81*]

God. What a cheap shot.
I feel the same way about you. You obviously have a blanket approach to development and you are not looking at it in the individual case by case manner that it requires.

Kadri was a turnover machine and a floater early in his pro career. Been watching the Marlies very closely since the beginning of the 2011 season and his has improved so much over his tenure with the Marlies. Maturity played a huge role. I am certain Kadri would have been "Luke Schenn'ed" if he played under Wilson's run and gun system.

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Kadri was a turnover machine and a floater early in his pro career. Been watching the Marlies very closely since the beginning of the 2011 season and his has improved so much over his tenure with the Marlies. Maturity played a huge role. I am certain Kadri would have been "Luke Schenn'ed" if he played under Wilson's run and gun system.

You could not be any more correct.

 

[ACC1224]

I don't know who you are but I have been watching the game far longer than you have.

Not only was Kadri good enough to be in the league earlier, had the Leafs coaching and conditioning staff evaluated his strengths properly, he would be even better than what he is right now.

If anything, they way they evaluated him and trained him - from having him put on additional mass to converting him to a winger - hindered his development rather than helped it.

He has succeeded despite this due to his natural and undeniable talent as well as some help from Eakins and Roberts/whoever he trains with now.

Not sure how you arrived at the bolded.

 

[G51 K81*]

You could not be any more correct.

Only way someone could think Kadri should have sticked was if they watched the highlight reel exclusively. He had some dynamite goals but he had some obvious holes in his game. Those are 100% gone imo.

 

[hotpaws]

Only way someone could think Kadri should have sticked was if they watched the highlight reel exclusively. He had some dynamite goals but he had some obvious holes in his game. Those are 100% gone imo.

Kessel has holes in his game and he has stuck quite well .

The Kadri situation always seemed to be more of a personal problem between him and Ronnie as opposed to an on ice matter .

 

[Guy Boucher]

Not sure how you arrived at the bolded.

He would be better today had he not been converted to a winger by people who thought that he wasn't good enough to play center.

He would be better today if the conditioning and coaching staff understood that he needed to play a quick game and needed to increase core strength and speed as opposed to simply gaining muscle mass.

He would have been better today if he played sheltered minutes in the NHL out of his draft year, as opposed to being sent back to London where he spent his days dangling around defenders who he was clearly better than.

He would be at the level of a Jeff Skinner today if that had all happened. I am hopeful that he will still reach his highest potential - but I don't consider Wilson's ineptitude with Kadri as a "triumph of development".

 

[G51 K81*]

Kessel has holes in his game and he has stuck quite well .

The Kadri situation always seemed to be more of a personal problem between him and Ronnie as opposed to an on ice matter .

Maybe Kessel was developed improperly? God forbid Kessel actually play defensive once and a while.

If I had a choice of Kadri with Kessel's defense but made the NHL earlier or Kadri now playing at this level.... Easy choice.