By JOSH HELLER
Staff Writer
1. Kadri Late for Meeting, Suspended by Team
Sometimes, adjusting to daylight saving time can be tough. Maybe it’s tougher for a young Maple Leaf than normal citizens.
On Sunday, March 8, the Maple Leafs held a team meeting in the morning. Reports surfaced that first line center Nazem Kadri arrived to the meeting about 20 minutes late.
Following this report, interim head coach Peter Horachek addressed the media. When asked if Kadri would be available for the next game, Horachek responded, “We’ll see.” Well, it turned out that Kadri was not.
After Kadri was healthy scratched, new team president Brendan Shanahan announced that the 24-year-old center-man would be suspended an additional two games.
“We like Nazem Kadri…It’s time for him to start making better decisions,” Shanahan said. “This is a moment when a player has to look in the mirror and make some decisions.” Shanahan also added that even though this was a tough decision, Kadri will be a big part of the Maple Leafs’ future.
Apparently, this late arrival to the meeting was not the only tough situation that Kadri has faced. According to Shanahan, this is not the only time that Kadri has had issues. However, Shanahan told players in the locker room and his staff to not comment on the events that happened in Kadri’s past.
This is also not a new situation for Horachek. Back in 2012, Peter Horachek was an assistant coach for the Nashville Predators while the team was in the playoffs. It was reported that forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn were spotted in a local bar after midnight, which was against the team’s rules. So, Horachek and head coach Barry Trotz decided to suspend the two forwards, even though the infraction occurred during the playoffs.
It’s not like this decision will have a major effects on the Leafs, anyway. The Leafs currently sit in the bottom five and look like they’re in the hunt for a high draft pick. Hopefully, Kadri is able to mature even more after this incident and help to push the Leafs into the playoffs next season.
2. Wilson, Thornton Trade Remarks in San Jose
It appears that there’s trouble in paradise. And for northern New Yorkers, the 70 degree weather out in San Jose is paradise.
At a recent San Jose Sharks season ticket holders party, team GM Doug Wilson expanded on why the veteran center lost his captaincy over the summer.
“He cares about the game so much. The reason we took the ‘C’ off him…” Wilson said. “He carries the weight of the team on his shoulders and he’s got such a big heart that when stress comes on him he lashes out at people, and it kind of impacts them.”
After these public comments, the media had asked Joe Thornton what he has thought about Wilson’s comments.
“I think Doug just needs to shut his mouth,” Thornton said to the San Jose Mercury News. “I think that’s the bottom line.”
Thornton’s captaincy was stripped following the Sharks blowing their 3-0 series lead to the eventual champion Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks now run with four assistant captains: Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
Hopefully, Wilson and Thornton can work this out and push the Sharks into the playoffs, as they’re just a few points out from the wild card spot in the West.
3. Price Emerging as Hart Favorite
Originally, fellow goalie Pekka Rinne was the MVP favorite, but since his injury and the Predators skidding, Montreal Canadien Carey Price looks like a lock for the Hart trophy.
Price has been absolutely incredible this season. As of March 14, Price stands first in the NHL in goals against average (1.93), save percentage (.935), and wins (37), while being second in the league in shutouts with seven, only trailing Marc-Andre Fleury, who has nine.
The only players who could contend with Price are Alex Ovechkin, leading the league in goals with 45 as of March 14, along with Rick Nash, second in the league in goals with 39, and John Tavares, who leads the league in points with 72.
All of the players listed have had incredible seasons, but Price has helped to elevate the Canadiens to another level, and push them towards the top of the conference, and the entire league.
