Nazem Kadri

Nazem Kadri
Kadri at the 2010 World Juniors
Born	(1990-10-06) October 6, 1990 London, ON, CAN
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Forward
Shoots	Left
NHL team	Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL Draft	7th overall, 2009 Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	2010–present

Nazem Kadri (born October 6, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. He has also played with the Kitchener Rangers and the London Knights. He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs seventh overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He won the J. Ross Robertson Cup with the Rangers, and played in the 2008 Memorial Cup, losing in the final to the Spokane Chiefs. Kadri represented Canada at the 2010 World Junior Championships, where the team won the silver medal.

Hockey career

Minor

Kadri grew up playing minor hockey for the London Jr. Knights of the MHAO's AAA Pavilion League. He was a key member of MHAO championship teams in Peewee, Bantam and Minor Midget before moving onto the OHL in 2006-07. He participated in the 2003 All-Ontario Peewee Championships in Markham, Ontario and the 2005 All-Ontario Bantam Championships in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Junior

Kadri started his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career with the Kitchener Rangers after being selected in the first round, 18th overall of the 2006 OHL Priority Selection.^[1] During his second season in the OHL, he played 68 games scoring 25 goals and adding 40 assists.^[2] During the playoffs, Kadri helped the Rangers to an OHL Championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup final, where they lost to the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL.^[3]

After the 2007–08 season was complete, Kadri was traded by the Rangers to the London Knights for a package of draft picks.^[4] Kadri played the 2008–09 season for his hometown Knights. He played in 56 games, where he scored 25 goals and added 53 assists.^[2] Kadri lost time during the 2008–09 season when he suffered a broken jaw.^[5] Kadri was selected to play for Team OHL in the ADT Canada Russia Challenge, but was unable to participate due to this injury.^[6] Kadri was invited to Team Canada's selection camp for the 2009 World Junior Championships, but did not make the team.^[5] Also during the 2008–09 season, Kadri was chosen to play in the OHL All-Star Classic, where he suited up for the Western Conference and scored a goal.^[7]

After the season was complete, he was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round (7th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.^[8] Kadri signed a 3-year, entry level contract with the club on July 6, 2009.^[9]

After being cut from the Maple Leafs, Kadri returned to play for the Knights in the OHL. He was selected to play for Team OHL in the 2009 Subway Super Series (renamed from the ADT Canada Russia Challenge).^[10] Kadri was also selected to represent the Western Conference in the 2009–10 OHL All-Star Classic, his second appearance in the league's All-Star Game in as many seasons.^[11] On March 30, 2010 Kadri was named the CHL Player of the Week, after recording 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists) in 3 games.^[12] The OHL named Kadri the league's Player of the Month for April 2010, a month in which he recorded 26 points (9 goals, 17 assists) in 10 games.^[13]

Toronto Maple Leafs

Kadri attended training camp with the Maple Leafs prior to the 2009–10 season. He played in 6 pre-season games with the club, in which he scored 3 goals and added 2 assists. Coach Ron Wilson had said prior to training camp that Kadri would need to be one of the team's top 6 forwards in order to make the club. Kadri was returned to the Knights prior to the start of the NHL regular season.^[14]

Because of injuries to Christian Hanson and Fredrik Sjöström, Kadri was called up to the Maple Leafs under an emergency basis, and made his NHL debut on February 8, 2010 against the San Jose Sharks. He did not register any points and finished with a minus 1 rating.^[15] This was a one game only call up and he returned to the London Knights following the game. Coach Ron Wilson said he will most likely be with the Leafs in the 2010-2011 season, though this was in doubt after comments made by both Wilson and Burke during the pre-season, indicating Kadri had not played to the level they expected and is "running out of time" to prove himself.^[16] In addition Burke is a strong supporter of rookies gaining experience at the AHL level.^[17] Kadri was included in the Maple Leafs last round of cuts, and was sent to the Toronto Marlies for the start of the season. On November 12 Kadri was called up by the Toronto Maple Leafs along with fellow leaf prospect Keith Aulie.^[18] On November 16, 2010, Kadri recorded his first NHL point against the Nashville Predators, assisting on a goal by Kris Versteeg.^[19] On November 18, 2010, Kadri recorded his first multi-point night with 2 assists in a game against the New Jersey Devils.

On March 19, 2011, Kadri recorded his first NHL goal against Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins. He was named to the AHL All-Star game in 2012. Prior to 2012-2013 season, Kadri started training under Gary Roberts over the summer, to gain muscle and play more explosively.^[20] On January 19, Kadri finally made the starting roster for the Maple Leafs in their season opener against the Montreal Canadiens. He would score the first Leafs goal of the season with a powerplay mark assisted by Phil Kessel against Carey Price. Kadri finished the game named the game's first star. A month later, in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Kadri had his first NHL fight with Tampa's Victor Hedman. With the Leafs losing 4-1 late in the game, Hedman delivered a cross check to the back of Kadri who then confronted the 6'6 defenceman. Punches were then exchanged before teammates and officials quickly broke up the fight. On February 28, Kadri scored his first career hat trick, in a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders.^[21] On March 30, 2013 Kadri scored his second career hat trick and of the season in a 4-0 win over the Ottawa Senators.^[22] Kadri would finish the season with 18 goals and 26 assists, finishing second only to Phil Kessel in points and goals. On Saturday May 4 he got his first playoff point getting an assist on the goal by Phil Kessel after Kadri sent him on the breakaway. On Monday May 13, Kadri scored his first playoff goal against Boston in Game 7 during the third period.

On September 11th, Kadri was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs on a 2 year contract worth $5.8 million.

On November 13 2013, Kadri delivered an elbow to the head of Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom. As a result, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety handed Kadri a three-game suspension.^[23]

International

Nazem Kadri

Medal record
Competitor for  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Silver	2010 Saskatoon	Ice hockey

Kadri played for Team Ontario at the 2007 Canada Winter Games, where they won a gold medal.^[24] He first represented Canada at the 2007 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament where the team finished fourth.^[24] Kadri was invited to Team Canada's selection camp for the 2010 World Junior Championships held in Regina, Saskatchewan. After being cut in 2009, Kadri was selected to represent Canada in 2010.^[5] In Canada's preliminary round game against the Americans, Kadri was one of the players selected for the shootout, and he scored on goaltender Jack Campbell to help Canada secure the victory.^[25]

During the tournament, Kadri scored 3 goals and added 5 assists.^[26] During the tournament, Kadri attracted attention for his refusal to shake hands with Switzerland's Nino Niederreiter after their semi-final game. Kadri did not elaborate on the specifics of what caused his refusal, but did absolve Niederreiter of using an ethnic slur, "Obviously, in big games like that, guys tend to lose their composure a bit, but I didn't take offence to anything he said. It was just that I felt like I didn't have to shake his hand."^[27] Kadri later had second thoughts about his refusal, "I regret it a little bit."^[28] During the gold medal game against the United States, Kadri had two assists including one on Jordan Eberle's tying goal with 1 minute and 35 seconds left.^[29] Canada lost the game in overtime, leaving Kadri and his teammates with the silver medal.^[29]

Personal life

Kadri started skating when he was two, began playing organized hockey when he was four, and was suiting up for elite level teams when he was six.^[30]

Kadri's parents are Sam and Sue, and he has four sisters (Yasmine, Sabrine, Reema and Rayanne). Kadri is named after his grandfather.^[24] Sam Kadri moved to Canada when he was four from the small town of Kferdenis in Lebanon.^[31] Nazem is an Arab and Muslim Canadian, and says he has never run into any issues on the ice with trash talking concerning his religious beliefs.^[28] Kadri was the first Muslim drafted by the Maple Leafs.^[30] In high school, Kadri served as a member of his school's Muslim Student Association.^[30] Kadri is the fourth player of Lebanese descent to play in the NHL, following in the footsteps of John Hanna, Alain Nasreddine and Ed Hatoum.^[31]

Awards & Achievements

• 2010 OHL Second All-Star Team
• 2013 THN Cam Neely Award (Breakout Player)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

• Nazem Kadri's career statistics at EliteProspects.com
• Nazem Kadri's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Nazem Kadri's player profile at NHL.com