Confirmed with Link: Kadri suspended 4 games (rest of the season) for cross-check on Glendening

[Bluelines]

Drawing penalties and he got better hands. But that´s about it.

..and considering the very obvious message the refs sent the last 2 weeks, that stat is probably not something we can count on moving forward, known diver wont get the benefit of the doubt in a close call.

 

[Menzinger]

What is Kadri is so much better at that it's worth giving him 1 mill+ more than Bozak?

Points - nope.
Leadership - ummm no
faceoffs? - no again
two - way game - debtable
shooting % - negative

The two way game aspect isn't debatable. Pick your metric - but Babcock chose to use Kadri as his go to shutdown centre, not Bozak.

And as for points - Kadri has shown more offensive prowess than Bozak at a younger age.

 

[Bluelines]

Why give Kadri the big contract when Bozak can do everything he can if not better, for 2 years for less money?
Horrible move having 5+ million long-term for a third line guy

Although clearly you are correct, folks if we turn this into a Bozie vs Kadri debate they will close the thread.

 

[Gallagbi]

..and considering the very obvious message the refs sent the last 2 weeks, that stat is probably not something we can count on moving forward, known diver wont get the benefit of the doubt in a close call.

How many PIMS did he draw?


Bozak plays sheltered minutes. For him to stay he has to be thrown in to a completely different role. One Babcock seems reluctant to put him in.

 

[Bluelines]

how many pims did he draw?


Bozak plays sheltered minutes. For him to stay he has to be thrown in to a completely different role. One babcock seems reluctant to put him in.

2,343?

 

[Snow Dog]

If #43 is signed for let's say 5x5 and is pushed down to the third line by the upcoming kids in a couple years wouldn't that make it harder to trade him?Other teams might notice that the kids are outperforming him and using the same logic the Leafs have think a 5 mill 3rd line center is overpriced.

 

[Ovate]

If #43 is signed for let's say 5x5 and is pushed down to the third line by the upcoming kids in a couple years wouldn't that make it harder to trade him?Other teams might notice that the kids are outperforming him and using the same logic the Leafs have think a 5 mill 3rd line center is overpriced.

If the kids are playing well enough to push down Kadri, the league won't just be thinking of them as a couple of kids.

 

[Snow Dog]

The two way game aspect isn't debatable. Pick your metric - but Babcock chose to use Kadri as his go to shutdown centre, not Bozak.

And as for points - Kadri has shown more offensive prowess than Bozak at a younger age.

I'm pretty sur Kadri wasn't the shut down guy to start the season.He was moved there because he wasn't putting up the points.
Of course he did at a younger age.Bozak entered the league when he was 23.Now has 7 years experience.Kadri entered the league at 19 and has 6 years experience.Both pretty similar.

 

[Gallagbi]

2,343?

Figured as much. He still drew a ton of penalties over the last 2 weeks. He had a 4-game stretch that Babcock called out and immediately the calls flooded in. Referee's cannot avoid doing their job out of bias. We've been through this before.

EDIT - 7 penalties drawn (excluding coincidental minors) in the past 8 games. Went past that 2-week timeline to fully capture the "4-game memo" time frame.

 

[Durrr]

I'm pretty sur Kadri wasn't the shut down guy to start the season.He was moved there because he wasn't putting up the points.
Of course he did at a younger age.Bozak entered the league when he was 23.Now has 7 years experience.Kadri entered the league at 19 and has 6 years experience.Both pretty similar.

Not true at all, he's been in a two-way role with Komarov since pretty much day 1.

 

[Bluelines]

I'm pretty sur Kadri wasn't the shut down guy to start the season.He was moved there because he wasn't putting up the points.
Of course he did at a younger age.Bozak entered the league when he was 23.Now has 7 years experience.Kadri entered the league at 19 and has 6 years experience.Both pretty similar.

Seem to remember Lupul begin praised by Babcock for playing on the shut down line to start the season... platitudes are free in Babcockville...

 

[Menzinger]

I'm pretty sur Kadri wasn't the shut down guy to start the season.He was moved there because he wasn't putting up the points.
Of course he did at a younger age.Bozak entered the league when he was 23.Now has 7 years experience.Kadri entered the league at 19 and has 6 years experience.Both pretty similar.

To start the season Babcock wasn't particularly satisfied with either Kadri not Bozaks two way play http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/big-read-babcock-will-turn-kadri-into-a-star/

The fact that Kadri's usage by season's end showed he was being trusted with facing off against the other team's top lines is pretty telling. You don't get Icetime like that because you aren't scoring.

Actions speak louder than words - you just need to look at player usage to get who is trusted in what situations.

 

[Gallagbi]

Winnik - Spaling - Lupul spent some time in a shutdown role. JVR - Kadri - Komo also saw time facing top lines when they were the team's best offensive unit, so tough to say lack of offense forced the move.

 

[Bluelines]

To start the season Babcock wasn't particularly satisfied with either Kadri not Bozaks two way play http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/big-read-babcock-will-turn-kadri-into-a-star/

The fact that Kadri's usage by season's end showed he was being trusted with facing off against the other team's top lines is pretty telling. You don't get Icetime like that because you aren't scoring.

Actions speak louder than words - you just need to look at player usage to get who is trusted in what situations.

If not Kadri then who? Options were very limited.

 

[Gallagbi]

If not Kadri then who? Options were very limited.

Bozak seems to be an pretty popular response.

 

[Bluelines]

Bozak seems to be an pretty popular response.

Jokign aside a career -79 is not someone I'd turn to.

Take away Bozie, take away Kadri, who's left to do that role?

 

[Menzinger]

If not Kadri then who? Options were very limited.

Tyler Bozak was used by the previous coach as his main centre - you don't think it's noticeable that such a shift occurred with new coaches?

Seems pretty telling to me - Babcock is using Bozak in his position of strength (offense) while limiting his weaknesses (5v5 defensive situations). Kadri was relied on for both defense and offense this year.

 

[Gallagbi]

Jokign aside a career -79 is not someone I'd turn to.

Take away Bozie, take away Kadri, who's left to do that role?

Who do you expect to play the role if Kadri moves on next season? A big part of the reason people want Kadri kept is to shelter the young players from that responsibility. Right now Nylander's facing tougher competition than Bozak, is that a situation you want/expect to continue next year?

Spaling was tried as a shutdown C as well. They also could have simply moved away from line matchings instead of focusing on them.

 

[Hockey Talker29]

Why give Kadri the big contract when Bozak can do everything he can if not better, for 2 years for less money?
Horrible move having 5+ million long-term for a third line guy

Bozak's got 3 goals and 7 assists in 22 games in 2016.

He has trended downward sharply after a pretty hot start. I don't see how he does anything better than Kadri, other than take faceoffs.

He shoots at a higher %, but doesn't generate nearly as many chances to shoot. Thus, they're about the same in goal scoring.

Bozak's also soft as butter, which is a little frustrating to watch at times. I can't recall him ever throwing a big bodycheck. It's a little sad.

 

[Pookie]

If #43 is signed for let's say 5x5 and is pushed down to the third line by the upcoming kids in a couple years wouldn't that make it harder to trade him?Other teams might notice that the kids are outperforming him and using the same logic the Leafs have think a 5 mill 3rd line center is overpriced.

And 9.2m tied up in their 2nd and 3rd line centres which would be stupid when ELC players could fill at least one of those roles.

 

[Durrr]

And 9.2m tied up in their 2nd and 3rd line centres which would be stupid when ELC players could fill at least one of those roles.

Then why not look at it as 10 for 1C/2C/3C?

 

[Gary Nylund]

Then why not look at it as 10 for 1C/2C/3C?

Totally reasonable. Another way to look at it is to allocate X dollars for the 3rd line, paying Kadri 5m as the centre is fine if we have some less expensive wingers for him. There are many ways to slice it, the thinking that "we can't pay a 3rd line centre X dollars" just shows an inability to think outside a very small box. Chicago is paying somebody over 10m to play on their 2nd line just as one example of something that on the surface may seem strange but nevertheless, might be just fine.

 

[Pookie]

Then why not look at it as 10 for 1C/2C/3C?

Why not look at it as 6.2 for a developing team and distribute minutes relatively easy?