This is Nazem Kadri's Chance.

[Guided by Veseys]

Anyone who thinks Kadri was suspended for merely missing a practice is out to lunch. He has a history of being benched that dates back to junior. Coaches have said things like he "doesn't listen" and has "bad habits." He was drafted 5/6 years ago and has really made zero improvements to his game, lacks intensity, does not train or work hard and he himself thinks he is an elite player. I don't think things end up well for Kadri. And putting him on the first line is also setting him up for failure - he will het eaten alive. Unfortunately he is currently our best C so Babs really has no choice. But I don't see Kadri as a core future piece, he is not a Shanny/Babs high character player with a good work ethic. Babs will rip him to shreds if he continues to use that rubbish toe drag move at the blueline that 99% of the time turns into a turnover.

That really sounds like a biased presentation. Anybody could see that pretty much all of the above isn't true. His defensive game has certainly improved. Face offs are getting better each year. Less turnovers. etc.
He certainly isn't the second coming but to say that he hasn't significantly improved as a player is pretty inaccurate.

 

[ULF_55]

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs...-babcock-introduced-as-maple-leafs-coach.html

New Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said he expects the job of taking over the team to be filled with “pain, fun and a journey.”
...
“If you think there’s no pain coming, there’s pain coming,” the 52-year-old coach warned as he was introduced to the media Thursday.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/06/steve-yzerman-jonathan-toews

According to Yzerman, coach Scotty Bowman made him and other Red Wings more defensive minded and better all-around players. Yzerman’s transformation was remarkable. He went from a dynamic offensive star to a player who was known as the ultimate playoff warrior.

Okay, Kadri is about 2 tiers below Yzerman but if Yzerman can make the transition in the Red Wings system, maybe Kadri can do the same.

And keep in mind the pain!


It isn't like Kadri needs to become a good 1st. line center, he's a placeholder until Marner or Nylander or both graduate into that role.

The other day Lidstrom talked about how Babcock didn't let him off the hook for anything, so Kadri if he shows up with his mouth shut and ears open with an attitude of, you master, me slave (while on the ice) he'll do fine.

The puck is indeed on Kadri's stick, and if he believes he's as good as the elite players in the league he'll never get it because that is clearly delusional.

 

[LeafsMonster]

Another huge thing is that now that kessel is gone, kadri will be seen by most teams as the next biggest offensive threat, maybe second to jvr.

Now he's going to be up against the best defense pairings in the league, and I expect he will be shutdown atleast for the beginning of the season to adjust. Its just another part of the game he has to learn to play in and adapt to. If he can do that, and still put up 50-60 points I think thats a successful season. I hope, if he's still here, eventually he will be a 60-70 point player, but we should expect him to struggle against top pairings for a while.

Turnovers might be crazy for the first couple of weeks but I think he will be fine. He's come a long way since his draft year. He is our project so its nice to be excited about him.

 

[Smif]

Anyone who thinks Kadri was suspended for merely missing a practice is out to lunch. He has a history of being benched that dates back to junior. Coaches have said things like he "doesn't listen" and has "bad habits." He was drafted 5/6 years ago and has really made zero improvements to his game, lacks intensity, does not train or work hard and he himself thinks he is an elite player. I don't think things end up well for Kadri. And putting him on the first line is also setting him up for failure - he will het eaten alive. Unfortunately he is currently our best C so Babs really has no choice. But I don't see Kadri as a core future piece, he is not a Shanny/Babs high character player with a good work ethic. Babs will rip him to shreds if he continues to use that rubbish toe drag move at the blueline that 99% of the time turns into a turnover.

He was drafted in the same year as the great up and coming and rookie of the year candidate Mike Hoffman, they were born about 45 days apart.

People really need to get used to properly developing players, sometimes it means giving them more time than you expect.

 

[yubbers]

I wish the best for Kadri. It would be really nice if he pans out. My spidey senses aren't hopeful though. He's gonna have a rough go this year imho

 

[horner]

He needs to be signed yet.

 

[bunjay]

It's been two full seasons since Kadri did anything worth getting excited about. This thread seems to imply that we should pretend those weren't full of opportunities for him and that we should go back to the same misplaced optimism we had two years ago.

You can't keep preaching patience and development as if the guy hadn't already developed into what looked like a star only to regress for two straight years since then. And accepting that Kadri has regressed since then doesn't mean you secretly hate the Leafs or don't know anything about how players develop in the NHL, it just means you've been watching without homer goggles.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Anyone who thinks Kadri was suspended for merely missing a practice is out to lunch. He has a history of being benched that dates back to junior. Coaches have said things like he "doesn't listen" and has "bad habits." He was drafted 5/6 years ago and has really made zero improvements to his game, lacks intensity, does not train or work hard and he himself thinks he is an elite player. I don't think things end up well for Kadri. And putting him on the first line is also setting him up for failure - he will het eaten alive. Unfortunately he is currently our best C so Babs really has no choice. But I don't see Kadri as a core future piece, he is not a Shanny/Babs high character player with a good work ethic. Babs will rip him to shreds if he continues to use that rubbish toe drag move at the blueline that 99% of the time turns into a turnover.

LOL. I stopped reading here. Zero improvements?

It's been two full seasons since Kadri did anything worth getting excited about. This thread seems to imply that we should pretend those weren't full of opportunities for him and that we should go back to the same misplaced optimism we had two years ago.

You can't keep preaching patience and development as if the guy hadn't already developed into what looked like a star only to regress for two straight years since then. And accepting that Kadri has regressed since then doesn't mean you secretly hate the Leafs or don't know anything about how players develop in the NHL, it just means you've been watching without homer goggles.

You think he regressed last year, I don't.

Progression isn't always linear. If you expect it to be, you will be disappointed in almost every player we draft. The environment and circumstances for Kadri have also been far from ideal.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Taking out Kadri's one good season in which many AHL players had a big advantage on those who couldn't play during the lockout, he's been fairly underwhelming.

His deficiencies are constantly blamed on his line mates, his coach but never on him. He has talent but it's not translated well into scoring, he will have a lot of pressure next season, hopefully he can excel but even if he doesn't i'm sure we'll all learn some new reason why it's just not his fault.

 

[MR4]

Anyone who thinks Kadri was suspended for merely missing a practice is out to lunch. He has a history of being benched that dates back to junior. Coaches have said things like he "doesn't listen" and has "bad habits." He was drafted 5/6 years ago and has really made zero improvements to his game, lacks intensity, does not train or work hard and he himself thinks he is an elite player. I don't think things end up well for Kadri. And putting him on the first line is also setting him up for failure - he will het eaten alive. Unfortunately he is currently our best C so Babs really has no choice. But I don't see Kadri as a core future piece, he is not a Shanny/Babs high character player with a good work ethic. Babs will rip him to shreds if he continues to use that rubbish toe drag move at the blueline that 99% of the time turns into a turnover.

Zero improvements to his game

 

[leafsfuture]

Last year when he played with Santa and Winnik... it was the best I had ever seen him play.

Santa was playing terrifically, and Winnik is just a solid player. Not hard to see why his play dipped when we shipped out all our dept.

He has the ability, now he likely gets his chance to anchor the team.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Taking out Kadri's one good season in which many AHL players had a big advantage on those who couldn't play during the lockout, he's been fairly underwhelming.

His deficiencies are constantly blamed on his line mates, his coach but never on him. He has talent but it's not translated well into scoring, he will have a lot of pressure next season, hopefully he can excel but even if he doesn't i'm sure we'll all learn some new reason why it's just not his fault.

This is basically a myth. Kadri's adjusted PPG was #1 in the NHL that year. How many AHL players do you think were in the top 50?

 

[MajorityRules*]

He's part of the rotten core. He should be tossed with the rest of them.

 

[ACC1224]

This is it.

Next Year he'll be our #1 centre. He'll be getting top power play minutes. He'll be going head to head with the best.

Our offense is running through him this season.

I really hope he trains hard the next 2-3 months, because it's a big opportunity.

This time next season, will we be talking about how Kadri solidified himself as a top 6 forward, or even a top line forward?

I'm excited to see what he does.

I'd agree with this. I think Babcock will slot Bozak(if he isn't moved) into a more fitting role further down the lineup.

 

[Swayze*]

Kadri's another guy who doesn't seem to put time into off ice training, seems like he has an attitude problem and is not a fast skater

I'd move him as well.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

This is basically a myth. Kadri's adjusted PPG was #1 in the NHL that year. How many AHL players do you think were in the top 50?

What exactly is an adjusted PPG? Kadri wasn't even in the top ten for points that year.

 

[Bullseye]

Babcock's "Good Human Beings" requirement to be a member of the Leafs will be Kadri's biggest challenge.

There will be pain Nazem - time to grow up now. You have a leadership position waiting for you if you are mature enough to take it.

All the best in your journey towards manhood. I hope you succeed - we need you.

 

[LeafsMonster]

Last year when he played with Santa and Winnik... it was the best I had ever seen him play.

Santa was playing terrifically, and Winnik is just a solid player. Not hard to see why his play dipped when we shipped out all our dept.

He has the ability, now he likely gets his chance to anchor the team.

Exactly. how anyone thinks he hasn't improved, or has even regressed, is beyond me. he said shanahan talked to him about becoming a 2 way complete player, so he focused more on that. And he certainly looks a lot more like a complete player than he did when first drafted and all he thought was offense. People expected him to be a 2 way player and somehow increase his production in the way last season went?

Kadri has made a lot of strides from when he was first drafted, he's not completely there yet but to say he hasn't improved shows how little people really know what they are talking about

 

[Gary Nylund]

What exactly is an adjusted PPG? Kadri wasn't even in the top ten for points that year.

I don't know the exact formula for calculating adjusted PPG. Perhaps you can google it. From the word "adjusted" you can probably deduce the general meaning.

Also, my apologies, I meant to say adjusted P/60, not PPG.

 

[CanadasTeam]

If, under Babcock, Tyler Bozak still gets 1st line time, I'm going to quit sports for good.

There's no way that Bozak comes back as a top minute-getter under Babcock right?

right?

RIGHT?

Unfortunately anything could happen. If Babcock thinks Bozak do a better job as #1C than Kadri, so be it..

 

[buttman*]

Watched Kadri enough to know that he doesn't get it. He doesn't know how to train and he doesn't know how to play a complete game. He's been trying to do it his way and by himself for a long time. I doubt this kid ever clues in.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

Taking out Kadri's one good season in which many AHL players had a big advantage on those who couldn't play during the lockout, he's been fairly underwhelming.

His deficiencies are constantly blamed on his line mates, his coach but never on him. He has talent but it's not translated well into scoring, he will have a lot of pressure next season, hopefully he can excel but even if he doesn't i'm sure we'll all learn some new reason why it's just not his fault.

Total myth. There were plenty of NHL regulars in the AHL during the lockout, including a line of Eberle-RNH-Hall in Oklahoma. Also a substantial amount of NHL players were playing in Europe http://www.thefourthperiod.com/lockout_tracker.html
Your argument on this matter is bunk.

 

[I Believe]

i thought his defensive game took a big step forward last season.

Should be interesting to see how he does with Babcock. Looking forward to it.

 

[ULF_55]

i thought his defensive game took a big step forward last season.

Should be interesting to see how he does with Babcock. Looking forward to it.

He did better defensively but his offense dried up.

Now can he put both together?

Maybe his ideal role is as a shutdown center.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

I don't know the exact formula for calculating adjusted PPG. Perhaps you can google it. From the word "adjusted" you can probably deduce the general meaning.

Also, my apologies, I meant to say adjusted P/60, not PPG.

I don't see how this disproves my theory his p/60 go from 1.4 the season before, lockout season 3.18, next season 1.71, last season 1.65.

Either he played well above his head during the lockout or he had boost by being in much better condition, he started very hot but as the season went on he was surpassed by other players.

He seems to hover around 1.55-1.7 except that one season, one would have to surmise something was different about that season.