Boston Bruins: We all know what an encounter with Nazem Kadri means
By jc
The Boston Bruins will meet Nazem Kadri for the first time in an Avalanche uniform. Will things turn out any different?
The Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche square off in Denver on Thursday night.
The Avalanche had one of the best lines the NHL last season. Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Mikko Rantanen led the Avs a postseason berth. There, Colorado knocked off Calgary and advanced to the second round.
What ultimately ended Colorado’s season was a lack of forward depth. The top line accounted for over 40% of the team’s goals last season.
To add some secondary scoring, Colorado acquired Nazem Kadri from Toronto.
Bruins fans remember Kadri for his postseason antics. Two years ago, Kadri hit Tommy Wingels in the head. The Department of Player Safety suspended Kadri for three games.
Kadri obviously didn’t learn his lesson. Last year, he cross-checked Jake DeBrusk up high and received a suspension for the entire playoffs.
Kadri’s suspensions not only cost him games; they cost his teammates their seasons. Last year was especially bad, as Kadri’s suspension was a turning point in the series.
The thing with Kadri is that he’s a really effective player. He’s a solid defensive center, and he can provide some offensive spark as well. In fact, Kadri hit the 30 goal mark twice for the Leafs.
Kadri was a great fit a Toronto team that had so much high-end talent in the top six. Ideally, he could play against a team’s top line and give Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner favorable matchups.
Plus, Kadri could provide that physical edge and emotion that could really affect a playoff series. He, however, crossed the line more than once, and his actions brought his team down.
Thursday night marks the first time Kadri faces the Boston Bruins since the last suspension. Kadri’s the same player, but things will be different with him in an Avalanche sweater.
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Kadri seems like the perfect fit for the Avalanche lineup. Like Toronto, Colorado is top heavy with MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Rantanen. The Avs desperately need someone who can provide secondary scoring that complements the first line.
Against Boston, Kadri should be able to match up with Boston’s top line. Kadri is strong defensively and can take faceoffs. His presence in the lineup should mean that MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Rantanen can avoid Patrice Bergeron and company.
However, can Colorado coach Jared Bednar trust that Kadri can keep his cool? Kadri’s been fine through two games with the Avalanche. He doesn’t have any points, but he hasn’t done anything over the top.
Things can quickly change once Kadri’s sees that black and gold. As we all saw before, he sometimes loses his mind against those colors.
Even if Kadri starts the game with the best of intentions, the Boston Bruins could certainly try to knock him off his game. They know how important Kadri can be on the ice.
Next. Can they stop the Avalanche's top line?. dark
No matter what happens, look for Kadri to be one of the focal points tomorrow night. Things usually go that way when he faces the Boston Bruins.