If we're using his 30 goal seasons as a point of reference, then even as the 3C behind Tavares and Matthews, Kadri averaged half a minute less per game and put up similar expected individual goals for figures this year. The issue was the actual shooting percentage, which, if we piece things together, would mean that he was getting looks but wasn't converting. Obviously the Leafs' analytics will have more nuanced information than what is available for public consumption, in particular his shift in the PP role, but it seems to me that he had somewhat of a repeat of his 2015-16 season.
If we were a rebuilding team looking to accumulate draft picks and promising prospects, trading him would make sense, considering the suspensions and where he's at age curve-wise. However, we are a team that is looking to contend and a player with a favorable contract that can move up the lineup is a premium in the salary cap world. Even if we do trade him to address a weakness, ie the Trouba trade nonsense, the Leafs will still have that gap between Matthews, Tavares and the 3C on the team. Unless Nylander's suddenly gained Babcock's trust (Babcock did like him, Marleau, and Brown in the playoffs) we're going to be spending assets to fill in the 3C position via trade, overpaying a UFA, or going with an unknown from who-knows-where.
It would be nice to have a 3C that can penalty kill with the best of them and who won't be a liability for 15-16 minutes a night but it'll be hard to acquire him for less than 4.5M per year.
