Kadri Sticks Around in Toronto

It was a pretty quiet weekend in the NHL, given the American holiday and probably some GM's wanting to enjoy some Summer, before getting cooped up for the Fall.

The Toronto Maple Leafs did get some important business done, as they have re-signed forward Nazem Kadri to a 1-year deal, reportedly worth $4.1 million, keeping him in the fold for a little while longer, it would seem.

Kadri has been the target of a lot of the team's individual criticism over the years, but being as though he isn't one of the highest paid players, he hasn't been a prime target for those, trying to usher players out of town, a la Phil Kessel or Dion Phaneuf.

The 24-year old forward has yet to realize a lot of his potential at the NHL level and his 2015 season was not one to write home about.  In 73 games, Kadri finished with 18 goals and 39 points, good enough for 189th overall in pool scoring, 131st among all forwards.

Kadri has been a 20-goal scorer once, in the 2014 season, where he also posted 50 points, but the downward spiral that the Leafs were in affected his numbers as well.

The changes that have already been made in Toronto may actually play as a blessing for Kadri or it could quite easily be a larger burden.  With the team trading away Kessel in this off-season, there will be more time in key situations for a player like Kadri.

The trouble with being a key player in Toronto is that spotlight burns.  Team management is trying its best to curb expectations for the 2016 season and with some of their moves already, they should meet those lowered expectations easily, but the paying customer will certainly have some greater expectations and those cheers and jeers will be the first thing the player hears in a game.

I have Kadri in for a gain in 2016, but with the overall skill level (on paper) diminishing this offseason, I'm not convinced he can reach his career-high numbers, but I don't think he'll be too far off.