After scoring nearly a point-per-game during the lockout-shortened season and a career-high 20 goals in 2014, center Nazem Kadri did not show the improvements on and off the ice that the Toronto Maple Leafs had hoped for last season and that was reflected in not getting a long-term contract extension.
The 2009 first rounder turns 25 just prior to the start of his sixth season with Toronto and spent the off-season getting physically and mentally ready for what he hopes will be a career year.
"There was no playing around this summer, it was right to work," Kadri said to
Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun . "I was just trying to improve on my weaknesses. I want to continue to start doing that, becoming more professional and kind of handling myself the right away. There have been ups and downs and that's just how it is."
Kadri is getting another fresh start with new head coach Mike Babcock and could take over from Tyler Bozak as the club's top line center based on how he performs in training camp, but with change in the air in Toronto, another year of unfulfilled promise could lead to playing elsewhere and not being part of the Leafs future.
*******
The Toronto Marlies will be attracting a lot more attention over the next few seasons, as the parent Toronto Maple Leafs appear intent on giving their top prospects the time to properly develop in the American Hockey League.
2014 first rounders William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen, AHL rookie scoring leader Connor Brown and other Leafs prospects will be led by new head coach Sheldon Keefe and the club will begin their season on Friday, October 9th against the Manitoba Moose at Ricoh Coliseum.
Here is the entire Marlies 2015-16 Regular Season schedule:
Day Date Time Opponent
Fri 10/9/15 7:00 PM Manitoba
Sat 10/10/15 3:00 PM Manitoba
Sat 10/17/15 3:00 PM Albany
Sun 10/18/15 3:00 PM Albany
Fri 10/23/15 7:05 PM @ Rochester
Sat 10/24/15 7:05 PM @ Binghamton
Sun 10/25/15 5:05 PM @ Lehigh Valley
Wed 10/28/15 7:00 PM Syracuse
Fri 10/30/15 7:00 PM Grand Rapids
Sun 11/1/15 3:00 PM @ Albany
Wed 11/4/15 11:00 AM @ Hartford
Fri 11/6/15 7:00 PM @ Utica
Sat 11/7/15 7:05 PM @ Binghamton
Fri 11/13/15 7:30 PM @ St. John’s
Sat 11/14/15 7:30 PM @ St. John’s
Wed 11/18/15 7:05 PM @ Rochester
Sat 11/21/15 5:00 PM Rochester
Sun 11/22/15 3:00 PM Binghamton
Fri 11/27/15 7:00 PM @ Syracuse
Sat 11/28/15 2:00 PM St. John’s (ACC)
Sun 11/29/15 1:00 PM St. John’s
Fri 12/4/15 7:05 PM @ Rochester
Sat 12/5/15 5:00 PM Manitoba
Sun 12/6/15 3:00 PM Manitoba
Fri 12/11/15 7:00 PM @ Utica
Sat 12/12/15 7:00 PM @ Syracuse
Sun 12/13/15 3:00 PM Utica
Wed 12/16/15 7:05 PM @ Binghamton
Fri 12/18/15 7:05 PM @ W-B/Scranton
Sat 12/19/15 7:00 PM @ Hershey
Sat 12/26/15 3:00 PM St. John’s (ACC)
Sun 12/27/15 3:00 PM St. John’s
Tue 12/29/15 7:00 PM @ Lake Erie
Thu 12/31/15 3:00 PM Lake Erie
Sat 1/2/16 3:00 PM Syracuse
Sun 1/3/16 3:00 PM Syracuse
Fri 1/8/16 7:00 PM @ Manitoba
Sat 1/9/16 7:00 PM @ Manitoba
Wed 1/13/16 7:00 PM @ Utica
Sat 1/16/16 7:30 PM @ St. John’s
Sun 1/17/16 4:00 PM @ St. John’s
Wed 1/20/16 7:00 PM Syracuse
Sat 1/23/16 3:00 PM Utica
Sun 1/24/16 3:00 PM Utica
Wed 1/27/16 11:00 AM @ Grand Rapids
Fri 1/29/16 7:00 PM @ Grand Rapids
Sat 1/30/16 5:00 PM Binghamton
Thu 2/4/16 7:00 PM @ Manitoba
Sat 2/6/16 2:00 PM @ Manitoba
Sat 2/13/16 7:30 PM @ St. John’s
Sun 2/14/16 4:00 PM @ St. John’s
Fri 2/19/16 7:00 PM W-B/Scranton
Sat 2/20/16 2:00 PM Portland (ACC)
Wed 2/24/16 11:00 AM Binghamton
Fri 2/26/16 7:00 PM Hershey
Sat 2/27/16 3:00 PM Rochester
Tue 3/1/16 11:00 AM Albany
Fri 3/4/16 7:00 PM @ Utica
Sat 3/5/16 7:35 PM @ Rochester
Sun 3/6/16 3:00 PM Utica
Fri 3/11/16 7:00 PM @ Portland
Sat 3/12/16 7:05 PM @ Providence
Sun 3/13/16 3:00 PM @ Albany
Fri 3/18/16 7:00 PM Lehigh Valley
Sat 3/19/16 3:00 PM Providence
Sun 3/20/16 3:00 PM @ Lake Erie
Sat 3/26/16 2:00 PM St. John’s (ACC)
Tue 3/29/16 7:00 PM St. John’s
Fri 4/1/16 7:00 PM @ Syracuse
Sat 4/2/16 5:00 PM Grand Rapids
Fri 4/8/16 7:00 PM Lake Erie
Sat 4/9/16 7:00 PM @ Syracuse
Sun 4/10/16 3:00 PM @ Albany
Wed 4/13/16 11:00 AM Hartford
Sat 4/16/16 5:00 PM Rochester
Sun 4/17/16 3:00 PM Rochester
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