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Why Wasn’t Nazem Kadri This Good with the Toronto Maple Leafs?

By Mike Jack |
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: Nazem Kadri #91 of the Colorado Avalanche lifts the Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: Nazem Kadri #91 of the Colorado Avalanche lifts the Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Former Toronto Maple Leafs centre, Nazem Kadri, had a career year this season with the Stanley Cup winning Colorado Avalanche putting up 28 goals and 87 points in 71 games. (stats from Sportsnet)

Some fans have been asking why Kadri had a career best season at 31 years old and why he was never that good as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

I believe there are a few reasons.  For one, Kadri was a great player on the Toronto Maple Leafs despite playing on some bad Toronto Maple Leafs teams.  Kadri had back-to-back 32 goal seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18 when the Leafs were barely a playoff team.

Kadri’s best season with the Toronto Maple Leafs may have been his first full season with the team during the 2012-13 shortened season where he had 18 goals and 44 points in 48 games.

Why Wasn’t Nazem Kadri this Good with the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Nazem Kadri was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1st round (7th overall) in 2009.  I remember watching the draft and it seemed like Leafs GM, Brian Burke, wanted to trade down in the draft instead of drafting Kadri.

Burke was talking to Ottawa Senator’s GM, Bryan Murray (who had the 9th overall pick), and it sounded like Burke was threatening to take Kadri if Murray didn’t make a move with him.

Brian Burke was known for drafting big physical players and wanted to stack the Toronto Maple Leafs with players filled with truculence.  Nazem Kadri wasn’t really that type of player when he was drafted.

The Ottawa Senators ended up taking big defenseman, Jared Cowen, at 9th overall which may have been the player Burke wanted along with another pick from Ottawa.

Kadri then had a hard time making the Toronto Maple Leafs roster because of his size and strength.  It seemed like Brian Burke and coaches Ron Wilson and Randy Carlyle where trying to shape Kadri into the physical centre he eventually became, but they may have mismanaged a prospect that looked like he could’ve developed into someone closer to Paul Kariya.

Eventually, Kadri scored two 30 goal seasons with the Leafs, but for a guy whose previous career high was 61 points,

Nazem Kadri After the Toronto Maple Leafs

Nazem Kadri has had the offensive ability to be an NHL star for a long time.  What better time to unleash that talent than during a contract year? At the age of 31!

Kadri is worth a lot more than his current $4.5 million AAV contract and last season was the best time for him financially to prove his worth.  He let his offensive flare shine and playing with a team as skilled as the Colorado Avalanche helped.

Next. A Leafs Trade for John Gibson. dark

I remember the Paul Kariya comparisons when he was drafted.  At first, it seemed like a move to the wing as a professional was the obvious move for Kadri.  Current Leafs, Mitch Marner and William Nylander both made a natural move to the wing after playing centre in junior.  Nazem Kadri could’ve been that type of player for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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