On a day when the Toronto Blue Jays stole the sports headlines in good-news starved Toronto (because of a ground-shaking trade with the Miami Marlins), some hockey “insiders” continued to maintain their optimism that
we will eventually have NHL hockey this season.
I’m not so sure, but hopefully the two sides will at least get
together this week and see if they can somehow bridge the gap that has kept the
league quiet through the first six weeks of the 2012-’13 regular season.
As many Leaf fans start focusing on other things (like the Jays, the NBA, NFL and junior hockey) there is some good news on the hockey front. Morgan Rielly and a number of other Leaf draft picks are,
for the most part, looking very good in junior hockey. The Marlies have won four in a row to jump up in the AHL standings. So hope still springs eternal in Leaf country.
Meanwhile, Matteo Codispoti from We Want a Cup and I have
just released Episode 4 of our “Leaf Matters” podcast. Rest assured we cover a range of non-CBA topics—it’s all about the Maple
Leafs.
Here is the link to Episode 4
If you’re interested in catching earlier episodes, they are
available on iTunes. Here is the link:
And, if you enjoy the podcasts, I invite you to visit iTunes and
subscribe.
Matteo and I look forward to building Leaf Matters (Twitter at @LeafMatters) into a
program that Leaf fans can enjoy and, over time, be a part of. We will be looking to chat with fellow
bloggers, fans, former players and lots of folks connected with the game and
the Leafs in the weeks ahead. Our aim is
to provide something different, the kind of conversation and show that you may not get elsewhere. In short, to be ourselves, and hopefully
offer an engaging experience for listeners.
If you have any comments on our efforts so far, share your
thoughts here.
Posts
Another good one.
ReplyDeleteKadri, as you've talked about earlier, hasn't gotten a fair shake in this organization. The front office seem to use him as a scapegoat for their own failures, which have not been as few and far between as we'd like. He was never a franchise pick as some people rated him for some reason, but he seemed a solid one for a time, until he gets called up from the Marlies' second line to play for the Leafs' first. Then back down, to play Marlies' first until the call back up to play wing in the Leafs third.
Doesn't take a hockey genius to figure out why he hasn't found his groove.
Eakins has impressed me with the work he has done with the Marlies, but those comments about Kadri showing up in less than stellar condition make me wonder how good he is at managing his guys face-to-face. Unless, of course, Kadri showed up late and drunk, with mayo dripping down his chin.
I don't, however, think that was the case.
A young guy could always use some encouragement, unless, of course, he's a bit too full of himself, in which case, some whipping is allowed. But Kadri has never seemed like the kind of guy who makes a number of himself. He's a pretty talented kid who's gotten pingponged around enough to bring his development to a grinding halt.
His future needs to be defined, first downstairs, and then pretty soon with the Leafs as well, or he needs to be released. Keeping on with the same farcical treatment of the guy isn't helping anyone.
Thanks for taking the time to listen to the latest podcast, CGLN. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteYou've well covered the bases when it comes to Kadri. None of us on the "outside" know, of course, if he was/is "full of himself", as you put it, and that supposed attitude has created three years of the Leafs trying to re-shape his approach and work ethic.
But as you say, is that really the case? It just seems, instead, like the organization has mishandled this from the get-go. I agree, at some point, give him a real shot here, or move him along in a trade.
Thanks CGLN.
Trading Kadri would be the optimal choice, Michael, but considering all points, how feasible would it be?
ReplyDeleteBurke was there to draft him at 7th overall, apparently whithout having too much of a clue who and why he was drafting. Yet, he can't trade Kadri for a 3rd rounder without losing face, and we all know how much Burke likes his face. And what, exactly, is Kadri's market value at this point?
Certainly not a high first-rounder.
Burke won't get that, so he won't make a trade. Even if trading players ever becomes feasible again. The only future I can see for Kadri at the Leafs is, if Carlyle talks with the kid and says, "look, don't worry about the statistics, I'll look at your games, and if you play well, you'll get a shot with my team".
And I really hope Carlyle finds the time to do just that.
I've said it in this space before, CGLN- my view is, bring him up and keep him up and...let him play. Give him minutes, familiar linemates, and let him play his game. Don't micro-manage his every move/mistake.
ReplyDeleteIf the organization then wants to trade him, fine. (I think he has been "on the table" in various potential deals over the past two years...).