As Maple Leafs camp opens, Kadri assumes larger role

More experienced and with a new six-year contract, Nazem Kadri is at Toronto Maple Leafs camp looking to take on more of a leadership role with the hockey club this season.

It's a role Leafs management would like to see Kadri take ownership of as well.

“It's something I've always tried to do and obviously Lou (Lamoriello) and Babs (Mike Babcock) have stressed that to me, wanted me to take on that leadership role and just be a good example for the young guys,” said Kadri following a recent informal skate. “For me, obviously I'm still learning as well. I don't know it all by any means, but I'm going to do the best I can to help out these kids and make them understand."

In addition to summer travel, which included a stop in Helsinki, Finland, for teammate Leo Komarov’s wedding, Kadri said he’s made a concerted effort to work on being more of a leader.

“I've done a lot of work this summer and tried to really wrap my head around that,” he said. “It's something I've always wanted, took a little bit of time for me to understand what exactly I need to do to take on that role. I think I've got a pretty good understanding. Whether you get a letter or not, you still have to lead by example, and that's what I intend on doing.”

What exactly did that summer work entail?

“In particular, skates just trying to take the lead, and organize some summer skates, just stuff like that,” Kadri said. “Obviously off-ice taking care of yourself, and it starts in the gym. Nutrition is part of it so all those kinds of things intertwine and help make you, not only a leader, but (also) a better person.”

Taking on more of a leadership role will be made a little bit easier for Kadri as he heads into his second season under Babcock. Kadri, who will turn 26 on Oct. 6, is coming off a season in which he registered 45 points in 76 games – the second-highest point total in his six seasons with the Leafs.

The team rewarded Kadri with a six-year, $27 million contract in April.

“Definitely, for sure I think it makes it a little easier,” said Kadri of knowing what Babcock expects. “Obviously the relationship I've built with Lou and Babs over the last year has been excellent so having their support and belief makes things a whole lot easier.”

Entering the team’s centennial season, Kadri is slotted in as the Leafs' first-line centre. He's also the team's second longest-serving player behind Tyler Bozak and just ahead of Joffrey Lupul, who announced Thursday he would start the season on the injured-reserve list. Kadri was second behind Bozak in the team's faceoff winning percentage last season (49.2 percent).

However, with Auston Matthews, Peter Holland, Brooks Laich, William Nylander and Bozak all capable of playing centre, Kadri isn’t concerned about the ‘No. 1 centre’ label.

“If you see all these successful teams, and all these contending teams, they've got depth down the middle so either way you cut it, one, two, three, four, you're going to need everybody to make a contribution and to play together,” said Kadri. “We're not playing against each other out there. We're a team. We're playing together.” 

Since he started participating in the informal skates earlier this month Kadri has also had an opportunity to speak to Matthews, the club’s prized first-overall pick from June.

“Seems like a really good kid. I've talked to him a little,” Kadri said. “Just kind of gave him the run down a little bit of what happened last year and just why to expect and not to put too much pressure on himself.”

Kadri, a first-round pick of the Leafs in 2009, understands the pressures of being a top prospect in Toronto and took time to explain to Matthews, a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, what to expect of his first season with the Leafs.

"He's a young kid. No matter what he does this year, he's going to end up being a pretty good hockey player in this league,” said Kadri. “Especially in Toronto, you're not playing a market like Carolina or Florida where you can go in as the No. 1 pick and no one's going to really talk about you. I think he understands that, I think he understands not to put too much pressure on himself. He's a hell of a hockey player so he's just got to go out there and play.”

Camp officially got going for the Leafs on Thursday morning at the team’s practice facility in Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto. Following physicals and media availability, the team was scheduled to fly out to Bedford, Nova Scotia, for the camp that will be punctuated by Monday night's preseason opener against Ottawa at Halifax's Scotiabank Centre.

With Matthews in the fold, Nylander looking to become an everyday NHLer and all the talk of whether 2015 first-round pick Mitch Marner will make the club or go back to the OHL’s London Knights, Kadri is looking forward to having the spotlight shine elsewhere.

“I don't mind flying under the radar sometimes,” he said. “At the same time, guys are expected to do a lot, maybe a little bit more this year than last year. Guys know who they are and are ready to take responsibility and take action.”