Details Surrounding Nazem Kadri Trade

therealkoho

Him/Leaf/fan
Jul 10, 2009
17,446
8,585
the Prior
Weird

The NHL targets Kadri, the Bruins know it and so they target Naz who loses his temper and does what almost anybody else would've done. The NHL on the thinnest of pretenses goes overboard with the discipline and essentially costs the Leafs the series, and then they do it again the following year.

The Leafs at that point had seen enough, LeaFland is carrying the torches, pitchforks and a healthy disdain for Nazem blaming the ills of the world on him. The Leafs saw the opening and used it.

FF a few years, another playoff, same two teams, Bruins star David Pastrnak stops up short and blows up Morgan Reilly with the so called "Forsberg" check, the same check OEL used and was fined 5k for. Oh and without even a 2minute minor for Pastrnak, such is life!

I'm glad Naz has told the story and didn't shine it up too much leaving it pretty much intact. Unlike Wayne polishing up the LA trade.
 

All Mod Cons

Registered User
Sep 7, 2018
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I'm not gonna get into the discussion of this too much because I'm gonna eventually read the book myself soon, but all I will say is that anyone who wants to tar and feather Kadri and call him an idiot for sticking up for his team and wearing his heart on his sleeve can get lost. Unlike other cowards who couldn't handle this market, he embraced all the adversity and scrutiny and wanted to be a Leaf for life. He proudly wore that crest every f***ing night and he went to war for his team. Even Matthews and others have mentioned in recent years after the trade that Naz was the best teammate and had a great attitude and outlook in the room. He had his warts but for better or for us he embraced who he was and truly grew up here, and he had the back of his team.

Blame the league for their double standard on reffing and supplementary discipline, or for the management and team for creating a cowardly culture where guys didn't have each other's backs. Why did it always land on Naz? DeBrusk almost pulled a Chara-Pacioretty on a respected vet like Marleau and there was no discipline for that. A season later Chara does EXACTY what Kadri did to DeBrusk but even more blatantly to Gallagher (he even mocks Gallagher for jerking back his neck out of recoil) and he doesn't even get a f***ing penalty Let alone a suspension, only a pathetic 5K fine. A 6'9 ogre doing that to a dude who is 5'10 at most in good lighting, what an absolute joke.

Naz loved Toronto and I wish we had more players who played with pride and passion like him. f*** Dubas for that dog shit video game trade, Barrie solved none of our problems and if anything was emblematic of the exact issues this team had in its roster construction, and was also a heartless coward himself
I think this sums it up purposefully.
 
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Tie Domi Esquire

Go Real Sports Apparel Go!
Oct 18, 2010
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I don't see what's so bad. He was lucky he was told anything.

Was he? He signed a longterm sweetheart deal and all he got was a 10 team no trade that kicked in a couple years into the deal.

I think the lucky ones are all the losers that got overpaid and better trade protection in the years afterwards.
 

A1LeafNation

Good, is simply not good enough!
Oct 17, 2010
27,774
17,884
Was he? He signed a longterm sweetheart deal and all he got was a 10 team no trade that kicked in a couple years into the deal.

I think the lucky ones are all the losers that got overpaid and better trade protection in the years afterwards.
True, but GM builds the team the way he sees fit.

It was wrong, but don't blame him for this decision. It's business.
 

647Hockey

Registered User
May 5, 2024
308
404
Not sure what the issue is. He was traded like every other player. Kadri even had a clause for him not to go to Calgary, and he didnt.

His wife being pregnant should have nothing to with it. Especially sports where players are moved around and traded so it's important for teams to max out what they can get before the opportunity disappears.

But it really doesn't matter unless someone thinks that a player cant get traded, or a normal job guy isnt allowed to get fired as long as his wife is pregnant.

Sports (and any job) is a two way street. Sometimes management are bums. Sometimes the person is a scumbag too. Looks how many times in life a player or normal guy gets a good gig, gets paid well and totally sucks. It's not like the company can force him to take less pay. They got to live with it till they get rid of him or he quits.

As for Kadri, he also f***ed up screwing the leafs with bad penalties and suspensions at the worst time. Playoff time.
 
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Guided by Veseys

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Nov 14, 2011
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Should have put him on left wing with Tavares and Marner as linemates and then went hard for a quality third line centre (probably could have gotten legendary Kerfoot for a 3rd or b prospect). We would have won the cup years ago. The leafs brass can’t assemble a winner.
 

arso40

Registered User
Jun 7, 2022
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Should have put him on left wing with Tavares and Marner as linemates and then went hard for a quality third line centre (probably could have gotten legendary Kerfoot for a 3rd or b prospect). We would have won the cup years ago. The leafs brass can’t assemble a winner.
Should have not signed Tavares and looked for a checcin 3rd line center that could handle the fighting and tough stuff
 

Squiffy

Victims, rn't we all
Oct 21, 2006
13,997
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Ya I liked Naz and his game, and I wish it all went down differently, but he was getting traded. It was untenable at that time. Had to happen for both parties. Worked out for Naz, didn’t for Leafs.

Nothing unseemly here. Trade went down per contractual obligations, no leaking. If you want scuzzy, see Leafs treatment of Muskoka Four for believing in the team. Didn’t sit well then and still doesn’t. Posters among us with long memories will vouch for that lol..
 

francis246

Registered User
Nov 16, 2007
14,285
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Was he? He signed a longterm sweetheart deal and all he got was a 10 team no trade that kicked in a couple years into the deal.

I think the lucky ones are all the losers that got overpaid and better trade protection in the years afterwards.

The trade ended up being the best thing to happen to him. He got a cup, his value around the league rose and he got a sweet retirement contract.

I know he wanted to stay but there’s no telling how that would have went for him.
 

Apex Predator

Registered User
Jun 21, 2019
4,232
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I don’t really see anything bad. I’m not the biggest Dubas fan but he was cut throat and made a decision. People want us to be like Vegas and this is the kind of stuff you do.
 
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Menzinger

Kessel4LadyByng
Apr 24, 2014
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Eh, that front office earned criticism for the outcome of it all, but part of the business is players can get traded at anytime. Kadri knew he didn't have full trade protection and could be moved to any team not on his list
 

seanlinden

Registered User
Apr 28, 2009
25,367
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I'm not gonna get into the discussion of this too much because I'm gonna eventually read the book myself soon, but all I will say is that anyone who wants to tar and feather Kadri and call him an idiot for sticking up for his team and wearing his heart on his sleeve can get lost. Unlike other cowards who couldn't handle this market, he embraced all the adversity and scrutiny and wanted to be a Leaf for life. He proudly wore that crest every f***ing night and he went to war for his team. Even Matthews and others have mentioned in recent years after the trade that Naz was the best teammate and had a great attitude and outlook in the room. He had his warts but for better or for us he embraced who he was and truly grew up here, and he had the back of his team.

Blame the league for their double standard on reffing and supplementary discipline, or for the management and team for creating a cowardly culture where guys didn't have each other's backs. Why did it always land on Naz? DeBrusk almost pulled a Chara-Pacioretty on a respected vet like Marleau and there was no discipline for that. A season later Chara does EXACTY what Kadri did to DeBrusk but even more blatantly to Gallagher (he even mocks Gallagher for jerking back his neck out of recoil) and he doesn't even get a f***ing penalty Let alone a suspension, only a pathetic 5K fine. A 6'9 ogre doing that to a dude who is 5'10 at most in good lighting, what an absolute joke.

Naz loved Toronto and I wish we had more players who played with pride and passion like him. f*** Dubas for that dog shit video game trade, Barrie solved none of our problems and if anything was emblematic of the exact issues this team had in its roster construction, and was also a heartless coward himself

I don't think anyone ever questioned Kadri's passion for being a Leaf... it was his inability to keep his game in check when the emotions got high. You can't hit Tommy Wingels when he's on his knees, facing the boards.... and you cannot cross check a guy in the face, especially not if you're Nazem Kadri with a long list of disciplinary action.

Yeah, it was a stupid trade, but you look at just how good that Leafs team was the year they had Tavares (47 goals), Matthews and Kadri up the middle.... the matchup problems that trio created for Boston... and how neutered the lineup became after the suspension, and you can't really blame them for deciding it was time to move on.
 
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Evilhomer

Registered User
Oct 10, 2019
4,718
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None of this seems bad. He signed up for a job. He was an employee. He knows he can be traded at any time outside of freezes.

He was still on the team. Therefore in the plans and was expected to work. He got traded and had months before he moved.

Movers are not expensive and it doesn’t take months.

Players with full ntc get threatened with waivers.

This happens all the time.
Thank you. The guy is paid millions of dollars and part of the deal is that his employer can move him to a new location, just like lots of other jobs. His wife was pregnant? Guess what, lots of people move locations with a kid on the way. I did it, but I don't remember anyone playing any violins for me. Suck it up, buttercup.
 

seanlinden

Registered User
Apr 28, 2009
25,367
1,795
Thank you. The guy is paid millions of dollars and part of the deal is that his employer can move him to a new location, just like lots of other jobs. His wife was pregnant? Guess what, lots of people move locations with a kid on the way. I did it, but I don't remember anyone playing any violins for me. Suck it up, buttercup.

This...

Plus, what if his wife was due during the season, right around when the Leafs are on their 5-game western road trip? Are they going to let him stay home because the baby might come?

If traded mid-season, maybe you can argue that the Avs should have given him a couple of days before needing to report.... but as far as "humanity" goes... this was pretty humane. He got traded July 1, he had a month and a half to move before he should have been in Colorado, and a little over 2 months between when he would have had to be in Colorado.

Yes, a month and a half isn't a lot to pick up your entire life, but that's a heck of a lot better than the "standard" that NHL players get.
 

Aashir Mallik

Registered User
Apr 19, 2019
12,284
12,970
I'm not gonna get into the discussion of this too much because I'm gonna eventually read the book myself soon, but all I will say is that anyone who wants to tar and feather Kadri and call him an idiot for sticking up for his team and wearing his heart on his sleeve can get lost. Unlike other cowards who couldn't handle this market, he embraced all the adversity and scrutiny and wanted to be a Leaf for life. He proudly wore that crest every f***ing night and he went to war for his team. Even Matthews and others have mentioned in recent years after the trade that Naz was the best teammate and had a great attitude and outlook in the room. He had his warts but for better or for us he embraced who he was and truly grew up here, and he had the back of his team.

Blame the league for their double standard on reffing and supplementary discipline, or for the management and team for creating a cowardly culture where guys didn't have each other's backs. Why did it always land on Naz? DeBrusk almost pulled a Chara-Pacioretty on a respected vet like Marleau and there was no discipline for that. A season later Chara does EXACTY what Kadri did to DeBrusk but even more blatantly to Gallagher (he even mocks Gallagher for jerking back his neck out of recoil) and he doesn't even get a f***ing penalty Let alone a suspension, only a pathetic 5K fine. A 6'9 ogre doing that to a dude who is 5'10 at most in good lighting, what an absolute joke.

Naz loved Toronto and I wish we had more players who played with pride and passion like him. f*** Dubas for that dog shit video game trade, Barrie solved none of our problems and if anything was emblematic of the exact issues this team had in its roster construction, and was also a heartless coward himself
Kadri to me looked like a domi but better hockey player, or at least less flawed

Silky smooth hands, much better goal scorer, an actual option for PP1, and biggest thing is he stood up for the team. I think he is as hot tempered as domi is but when you have guys like McCabe and Benoit and Knies and Bert(last playoffs), you don't shoulder the burden all on yourself and in turn toe the line, and even cross it. FFS Matthews plays physical AF and even Nylander and Tavares throw some hits come playoff time. Had our team been like that back then, I believe he wouldn't get suspended.

Also for the trade, at best case barrie goes 60-80 points and now you either can't afford him or have to trade rielly, making a lateral move, and at worst it was what we got. A SOFT, slow, weak, bottom pairing calibre defencemen. We also had to pay Muzzin so where was the future planning in this move.

Kerfoot had 7 good games for the leafs, that montreal series. He was a disgrace to the 3C title and had to play with nylander and tavares to get points.

Kadri is like Domi, and both are players Dubas and his fans don't/didn't like . Dubas learned how f***ed up his ideology was with the O'Rielly, Acciari, McCabe pickups, but it was too late.
 

Jimmy Firecracker

They Fired Sheldon!
Mar 30, 2010
37,229
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Mississauga
Kadri to me looked like a domi but better hockey player, or at least less flawed

Silky smooth hands, much better goal scorer, an actual option for PP1, and biggest thing is he stood up for the team. I think he is as hot tempered as domi is but when you have guys like McCabe and Benoit and Knies and Bert(last playoffs), you don't shoulder the burden all on yourself and in turn toe the line, and even cross it. FFS Matthews plays physical AF and even Nylander and Tavares throw some hits come playoff time. Had our team been like that back then, I believe he wouldn't get suspended.

Also for the trade, at best case barrie goes 60-80 points and now you either can't afford him or have to trade rielly, making a lateral move, and at worst it was what we got. A SOFT, slow, weak, bottom pairing calibre defencemen. We also had to pay Muzzin so where was the future planning in this move.

Kerfoot had 7 good games for the leafs, that montreal series. He was a disgrace to the 3C title and had to play with nylander and tavares to get points.

Kadri is like Domi, and both are players Dubas and his fans don't/didn't like . Dubas learned how f***ed up his ideology was with the O'Rielly, Acciari, McCabe pickups, but it was too late.

It's a bit ironic that when Dubas finally seemed to learn his lesson and started putting a bigger emphasis on size, grit, and skilled physicality he gets canned. Brought in O'Reilly, McCabe, Acciari, Schenn, and Lafferty for the 2023 run. Added size to the system by drafting Knies, Grebenkin, and Minten, signing McMann, and trading for Timmins. But like you said it was too late.
 

colchar

Registered User
Apr 26, 2012
7,873
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In his new book "Dreamer: My Life On The Edge" Nazem Kadri goes into detail about the circumstances around the trade that saw him leave Toronto. Suffice to say then GM Kyle Dubas and the rest of the Leafs brass at the time come out looking pretty duplicitous.

View attachment 920643View attachment 920644


Now I'm not going to front, I wanted Kadri dealt after his second straight playoff suspension. However, the way with which the Leafs went about doing it is so scummy. Why lie to the guy and say he's still part of the future here when you were planning to deal him? Why are Calgary players and management brought in to try and convince him to waive his NTC? You're own players get confused and the guy you lied to has to cover your ass? And all this when the dude's wife is about to have a kid and thinks he's not going anywhere.

All this secrecy and sneaking to ultimately rush a trade for Tyson Barrie and Alex Kerfoot.


You believe his version of events as being the truth? Talk about being naive.
 

Anthrax442

Registered User
Aug 4, 2008
15,755
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Toronto
www.russianroulette.ca
I think some posters show their recency bias here. Everyone was fed up with his antics when he was traded. He was getting suspended by the league and by the team. Completely immature and boneheaded decisions. His great last season in Colorado including the cup run reignited a lot of Leafs fans fake memory of him of being this greatly underappreciated player. Most fans were ready to drive him to the airport and carry his bags to gtfo of here. In a lot of people's eyes he (potentially) cost the Leafs 2 playoffs runs.

These memoirs are weird, they are too subjective and there is no way that he didn't know that the team was done with him. He was actively being shopped and this was all over the news. The deal in the end was too forced. Yes we got Barrie ,a puck moving RHD that we needed really badly, but in the end he never fit here and he was a huge defensive liability and Kerfoot was a fine player, but not a difference maker like Kadri could have been.
 
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