The Star: Nazem Kadri is already in Randy Carlyle’s doghouse

[hockeywiz542]

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs...dri_already_in_carlyles_doghouse_feschuk.html

Four games into the season, Nazem Kadri, right, has already been buried deep in Toronto’s forward rotation.

With another workday nearly done at Wednesday’s Leafs practice, Nazem Kadri made like a short-order cook. Using the blade of his stick like a spatula, he picked up a puck and repeatedly heaved it high into the air.

The disc went up. The disc came down. And Kadri, though he attempted to catch it like an artfully tossed fried egg, never could manage the trick.

Speaking of futile pursuits, let’s consider Kadri’s not-so-handy work in Toronto’s 2-1 loss to the Avalanche on Tuesday night. Centring a line comprising enforcer Colton Orr and grinding winger Carter Ashton, Kadri played all of 13 minutes in Toronto’s first defeat of the season. The Leafs are only four games into an 82-game season. It’s early. But it’s interesting to note that, in two of the past three games, Kadri has been buried deep in Toronto’s forward rotation.

In Philadelphia last week, Kadri took all of 17 shifts and played a little less than 12 minutes. As a point of reference, first-line centreman Tyler Bozak averaged about 30 shifts and 22 minutes a game last season.

Four games into the season Kadri, who signed a two-year deal worth $5.8 million on the eve of training camp, is averaging 14:35 per game — ninth among Toronto forwards and third among centremen. To put that in perspective, Kadri finished sixth among Leafs forwards in ice time per game last season, when he averaged more than 16 minutes a night and was the team’s second-leading scorer with 44 points.

What’s behind the early demotion? Maybe it’s simply Randy Carlyle running the ultimate meritocracy where, no matter one’s status or potential, every Leaf is held to an unflinching standard. Carlyle spent Wednesday refusing to speak specifically about individual players, insisting that the entire team needs to improve.

“When your team game isn’t as strong as you’d like it to be and the number of turnovers that we’ve had and giveaways that we’ve had — I think we’ve got a group of players who can improve,” Carlyle said. “I’m not going to start to single individuals out, four games into the season, but we all know we have to be better.”

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[jmart21]

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs...dri_already_in_carlyles_doghouse_feschuk.html

Classic leaf land; it's expected that the coach puts a player in the doghouse if they underperform....EXCEPT if it's a player we've all got a crush on. In that case, it's a crime and our coach has no idea what he's doing.

He's underperformed and clearly he isn't doing what RC is asking. Not much else that can be said.

 

[LeafOfBread]

Feschuk is such a tool. This guy has usurped Damien Cox for being the d-bag of The Star. Though that Cathal Kelly guy is a moron too.

 

[Drmckool]

The guy's 22 and not playing well enough to get more minutes in the eyes of our coach. He'll get better, and move up the depth chart, it's called development and setting the precedent of earning ice time. Carlyle might make some less-than-intelligent decisions sometimes, but this isn't one of them.

 

[DD03]

“When your team game isn’t as strong as you’d like it to be and the number of turnovers that we’ve had and giveaways that we’ve had — I think we’ve got a group of players who can improve,” Carlyle said. “I’m not going to start to single individuals out, four games into the season, but we all know we have to be better.”

Not sure how Kadri is in the dog house. EVERYONE needs to play better.

 

[Alflives*]

Classic leaf land; it's expected that the coach puts a player in the doghouse if they underperform....EXCEPT if it's a player we've all got a crush on. In that case, it's a crime and our coach has no idea what he's doing.

He's underperformed and clearly he isn't doing what RC is asking. Not much else that can be said.

Did not Eakins do something similar with Kadri in the minors, and then Kadri responded with his break-out season?

 

[jmart21]

Did not Eakins do something similar with Kadri in the minors, and then Kadri responded with his break-out season?

I don't know.

But RC isn't singling NK out; there's a difference. He's been rewarding guys like Raymond and Bolland for their strong play with more icetime. Guys like Kadri and Lupul (more in the 1st 2 games) haven't played to a level that RC has been expecting and thus they aren't getting as much ice-time as those who are.

 

[crump]

Toronto media trying to create a situation because they have nothing better to do.

 

[Budsfan]

There are people here, that want us to trade for a #1 center, if that happens where will Kadri play, just let him learn the ropes and who cares how many minutes he gets, he'll get his chances and with all the injuries piling up, soon.

This is the same as Gardiner and all the trade talk, let him learn the ropes too and forget all the other stuff, it's mostly media jumping on every little fine point, like how many minutes their playing and errors, this happens everywhere in the league but in Toronto everything is under a magnifying glass.

 

[TOGuy14]

I understand that he hasn't been on fire so far this year, but pairing him with plugs like Orr and Ashton won't exactly sharpen his game

 

[Yosho]

The media makes me sick. Don't click this article.

 

[Diatomic]

Its too early to say he's in his doghouse but he surely isn't getting the TOI he deserves, especially after last year. We've seen Kadri flourish last year in a sheltered role, now I'd like to see what he can do with top 6 minutes and wingers that can play hockey.

 

[SprDaVE]

If Kadri is in the doghouse, Orr will be in the dog impound soon.

 

[Leafski]

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, why do you guys post stupid things like this?

I despise the use of 'doghouse' in hockey. Look, if a player is not performing to expectations, they aren't going to be rewarded. It's not like Kadri is playing like a world beater right now, and Carlyle has a hate-on for him, pushing him down a line. Simply put, what Bolland has shown so far is more than Kadri, particularly in the effort department.

Kadri has been slowly going back to his habit of enter into the zone alone then try to dangle the other team to score. He's also been turning the puck over alot, moreso than i've seen him before. I understand that playmakers usually take high risk plays, which are more likely to cause a turnover. But good god man, what happened, he wasn't like this last year.

He also seems to have lost some of his feistyness. I'm used to seeing him almost agitate every game. Hitting alot more than he has the last 4, and yapping his mouth. Something is up with him...

One thing that I can commend him on though is he seems to have slightly improved in the dot. His faceoff% is 49.1 over this small sample size so far.

I really do hope this is a short term thing because I really like Kadri and strongly believe that he can become our 1c eventually. Not an elite 1c, but at least respectable one.

 

[jmart21]

Its too early to say he's in his doghouse but he surely isn't getting the TOI he deserves, especially after last year. We've seen Kadri flourish last year in a sheltered role, now I'd like to see what he can do with top 6 minutes and wingers that can play hockey.

This is the problem. He hasn't earned any additional ice-time with his play so far this year. There's no entitlement and merit floating around our locker room and I for one like it.

 

[The Apologist]

Its too early to say he's in his doghouse but he surely isn't getting the TOI he deserves especially after last year. We've seen Kadri flourish last year in a sheltered role, now I'd like to see what he can do with top 6 minutes and wingers that can play hockey.

He most certainly is.

Play better and you'll get more minutes.

 

[I Believe]

Toronto media trying to create a situation because they have nothing better to do.

Yup, same with Gardiner. Gotta get those page hits.

 

[Diatomic]

He most certainly is.

Play better and you'll get more minutes.

How exactly do you play better with Orr and Ashton as your wingers? Yeah... You can't...

 

[ULF_55]

Kadri's 23, still learning how to be a NHL center.

Carlyle is just giving ice time to people who have earned it.

There is only so much ice time available.

McClement 15
Bolland 16.6
Bozak 22

Doesn't leave a lot (Bozak and McClement on together for face-offs).

 

[Hero]

Almost everyone is playing un-motivated, not just Kadri

 

[jmart21]

How exactly do you play better with Orr and Ashton as your wingers? Yeah... You can't...

This is a piss poor excuse. Why do linemates matter? I'm willing to bet Naz doesn't come off from a shift with Orr and Ashton to hear RC say "why the hell didn't you guys score?" or "You're not getting anymore icetime till you get a hattrick on the 4th line"

Its obvious theres aspects of Kadri's game that RC doesn't like right now; things that Naz has to fix regardless of who his linemates are.

 

[Diatomic]

Having your 2nd leading scorer playing 13mins a game is not a good thing. Also, he hasn't been horrible like everyone is implying, he's got 3 points in 4 games.

Should be 6 points in 4 games and a hat trick if you ask me though, kids been awful.

 

[jmart21]

Having your 2nd leading scorer playing 13mins a game is not a good thing. Also, he hasn't been horrible like everyone is implying, he's got 3 points in 4 games.

Should be 6 points in 4 games and a hat trick if you ask me though, kids been awful.

You don't seem to understand that coaches want their players to play with certain habits and actions; there are many, many more things a coach looks for than scoring.

I'm not going to pretend to know what RC is looking for, but he obviously isn't getting the things from Kadri that he's looking for.

 

[Frelimo]

Did not Eakins do something similar with Kadri in the minors, and then Kadri responded with his break-out season?

Indeed, Kadri was a healthy scratch early in the season last year.

 

[namttebih]

He most certainly is.

Play better and you'll get more minutes.

It's hard to play better when you get 45 seconds every 5 minutes with Colton Orr.