Nazem Kadri Plays Left Wing Tonight: One-Time Thing or Permanent?

Nazem Kadri, taken No. 7 overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Maple Leafs, has been the most heralded Leafs draft pick since Wendel Clark back in 1985. He enjoyed an absolutely stellar junior career playing with the Kitchener Rangers and London Knights, and now he's taking his talents to the Leafs organization.

The major question being, will he call the Air Canada Center home or Ricoh Coliseum down the road home?

Kadri, by all accounts has had a very disappointing training camp this year. He's looked lost out there defensively and his offensive game for the most part has been non-existent, even in the rookie tournament where he was expected to dominate the competition like he did in junior.

Nazem has struggled in all facets of the game, but he's still young, and the pressure of performing, even in the preseason from media and fans alike, has probably taken a big bite out of Kadri.

When the Leafs play the Senators tonight, Nazem Kadri will find himself on the left side of the first line along with Tyler Bozak and sniper Phil Kessel according to writer Ken Beckett. I believe coach Ron Wilson wants to give Kadri the opportunity to just let his talent takeover, and for him to worry less about the defensive aspects and responsibility of playing center.

Kris Versteeg left Leafs earlier today to head to Chicago to receive his Stanley Cup ring which he will no doubt flaunt around when he gets back in town. Kadri right now is just filling in for him, but the real question is why didn't Ron Wilson just put one of his wingers such as Clarke MacArthur, Luca Caputi, or the most obvious, Nikolai Kulemin in that spot and give Kadri another opportunity at center?

My belief is that the writing is on the wall for Nazem Kadri and he will more than likely be sent down following the game (or at least before their next game against the Red Wings). If he still stood a chance at making the team, he would've got another chance to play center tonight to prove he can play with the big boys.

With this move to the wing tonight, it will more than likely spell the end of Nazem Kadri's preseason with the Leafs.

One thing to note here is that it's not out of the realm of possibilities that Kadri playing the wing could be a permanent thing neither. He has great speed, skill and uses his wiry frame quite well. He definitely does have a game that translates well to playing the wing as well. However, a move to the wing still seems wrong to me.

"'I know I haven’t played my best,' the 19-year-old Kadri said Wednesday morning at the MasterCard Centre. 'But today, I’m looking to change things around. I’m familiar with left wing (from his junior days with the London Knight), so I think I’ll blend in quite well.'

"Assistant coach Tim Hunter said the biggest factor for Kadri is that he’ll get to play again, period. In three games he has no points and is minus three.

“'He hasn’t played great and this is another opportunity. There are a couple of guys (in that boat). When you haven’t had a great training camp and the coaches show faith in you, then you’d better take advantage.'”

Quotes from Lance Hornsby of the Toronto Sun

The game tonight will more than likely be Kadri's last, and in the end, it could be a game that really opens up the Leafs brass to a position change if Kadri's does shine tonight. If he doesn't shine, which is more likely, Kadri will have to season his game in the AHL before he gets his shot with the Leafs.

Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines

Forwards
Nazem Kadri - Tyler Bozak - Phil Kessel
Luca Caputi/Clarke MacArthur - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolai Kulemin
Fredrik Sjostrom - Tim Brent - Colby Armstrong
Colton Orr - John Mitchell - Jay Rosehill

Defence
Dion Phaneuf - Tomas Kaberle
Mike Komisarek - Francois Beauchemin
Carl Gunnarsson - Korbinian Holzer

Goalies
J.S. Giguere
James Reimer

**Lineups courtesy of Ken Beckett**

In other lineup news, Fredrik Sjostrom sees his first game action tonight playing on a third line checking line along with camp standout Tim Brent and free agent pickup Colby Armstrong. John Mitchell replaces Christian Hanson on the fourth line and lastly, Luke Schenn is nursing a sore back, so German import Korbinian Holzer will take over this game and play alongside Carl "Uzi" Gunnarsson.