Nazem Kadri only person to blame for suspension that puts Maple Leafs in tough spot
Toronto Maple Leafs fans will want to blame the NHL for Nazem Kadri’s three-game suspension for boarding, but this one is on him.
Kadri would argue that he was standing up for a teammate, but what he ended up doing was letting down his team. Kadri is a valuable player, a 32-goal scorer with an edge to his game. He matches up well against top offensive players.
Now he is gone for three games of a seven-game series because he allowed his emotions get away from him.
On Thursday, the NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty for a well-intentioned check that evolved into an illegal hit to the head. It was a rule that could have gone either way. I thought it was deserving of a one-game suspension, and maybe you didn’t. Doughty said Thursday: “I don’t think for one second that was suspension-worthy.”
It was either no suspension or one game. No one was thinking more than that. It was a judgment.
Kadri’s hit was two stops past acceptable. With his team trailing 4-1 to the Boston Bruins, Kadri went after Tommy Wingels after Wingels came up high with a hit against Kadri teammate Mitch Marner. Wingels was vulnerable, with his back turned, when Kadri drove into him. Wingels’ head slams into the boards. Anyone who watched that hit would say Kadri was seeking retribution and trying to inflict pain. He could have easily avoided that hit.
This is the kind of hit that the NHL has aggressively tried to eradicate. The mandate has been to protect defenseless players. Wingels was defenseless. Kadri knew that. He skated a few strides before making contact.
In the video explanation of the suspension, player safety stated: “It’s important to note that Kadri is in control of this hit at all times.”]
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Even old school hockey guys would have a difficult time defending this hit. You like when teammates stand up for each other, but there were ways to do that without earning a suspension. Kadri sought to inflict pain on Wingels, but ended up hurting his team in an important playoff series.
He has no one to blame but himself.
Source:-https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/columnist/allen/2018/04/13/nazem-kadri-suspension-maple-leafs-bruins/516718002/
