Toronto Maple Leafs Nazem Kadri: Benched First Game in Minors, Moved to Wing

Nazem Kadri, the Leafs first choice, seventh overall in 2008, had an amazing camp last year where he garnered attention in making the opening night roster of the Leafs.

That attention a year ago was well deserved for Kadri as he had one of the best camps among those on the Leafs roster that year. The Leafs though decided that a year of junior was a better option for the 19-year old Kadri.

Kadri took the demotion hard, but kept an open mind on the move. He went back to junior and collected 93 points in only 56 games, and managed to win a silver medal with the Canadian Junior Team last December.

That international experience and playing under coaches Willie Desjardins and Dale Hunter in London, should really have helped Kadri out, especially in his own end.

This training camp, Kadri came into camp as the odds on favorite for the second line center role with the team, but his training camp did not start out well at all.

Careless turnovers, a lack of physical play, bad defensive lapses, and struggling in the faceoff circle, were among the issues that Leafs brass had with Kadri.

Throughout training camp, coach Ron Wilson attempted to give some hard love to Kadri, basically calling his play out to the media in Toronto.

Now, while his play was deserving to be criticized, Kadri is still only 20-years-old. Calling out a kid like that in a media haven like Toronto will only do harm to him, not good.

Kadri was sent down to the Leafs AHL affiliate the Toronto Marlies prior to the season starting. Kadri, who took the demotion in stride, just wants to prove to Leafs management that he's capable of the role they have for him.

However, this past Friday, Kadri's start to his professional career didn't start out so well. Although Kadri did collect his first professional point—an assist on a goal by Simon Gysbers in the third period—he struggled mightily that game.

He turned the puck over numerous times and for those action, coach Dallas Eakins benched him for some time that game. The Marlies went on to lose the game 4-2 to the Rochester Americans.

The following game, played this afternoon against the Abbotsford Heat, was a different experience for Kadri. In today's game, Eakins elected to play Kadri on the wing. A similar tactic to one Wilson employed, Eakins was hoping a move to the wing would spark some offensive flare, but also reduce some of the responsibility defensively that Kadri had on his shoulders.

Playing on a line with Christian Hanson and Luca Caputi, Kadri would have another so-so game, collecting no points and finishing the game as a -1 on the scoresheet. Although that line comprised all of the players I thought were deserving of roster spots with the Leafs prior to the pre-season, the line finished the game with a lackluster showing.

Having faced goalies Jacob Markstrom and Leland Irving in their first two games, the Marlies are winless to start out the year, but there's no reason for concern.

Should the Leafs start to get worried about the play of Kadri, especially defensively?

Is a move to the wing the only move that makes sense?

Can Kadri turns things around and still be that first line center the Leafs are coveting?

Those questions can all be answered in the near future, for now, all Leafs fans should enjoy the 2-0-0 start to the year.