UPDATE: Nazem Kadri's season is over. The Maple Leafs forward has been suspended four games.
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Nazem Kadri has once again drawn the attention of the NHL offices, as the Maple Leafs forward will have a phone hearing on Monday for a cross check to the head of Detroit's Luke Glendening in a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Air Canada Center on Saturday.
The incident began midway through the second period, with both players tussling to the left of Toronto goalie Garret Sparks. Glendening ended the battle by shoving the Leafs forward to the ice and heading to the front of the net, Kadri pursued and cross-checked the Detroit forward and made head contact.
Kadri cross-checked Glendening high after their battle. Glendening shaken up. #RedWings #DETvsTOR #Leafs pic.twitter.com/hyB5xZ7Xw7
— Stefan Kubus (@StefanKubus) April 3, 2016
"We were battling in the corner and we just got into a bit of a wrestling match." Kadri said following the game. "I think my cross-check rode up his shoulder a little bit." Kadri was assessed a minor for the infraction, but a suspension could potentially end his season.
The Leafs leading scorer falls under the "repeat offender" category, as a head hit on Edmonton's Matt Fraser last March resulted in a four game suspension. Kadri has also been fined twice by the NHL, $5000 for a throat slashing gesture towards Calgary's Mark Giordano in February and another $5000 for two instances of diving/embellishment against Ottawa and Calgary.
In spite of showing some growth defensively and improvement on faceoffs in his first year under head coach Mike Babcock, Kadri continues to display holes in his game that should not be present in someone completing his sixth NHL season. Even more alarming is his lack of discipline and the influence it could have on Toronto's young players if the organization chooses to sign the 25-year-old to a long-term contract extension this summer.
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The battle for positioning for Auston Matthews changed slightly on Saturday, but losses by Toronto and Edmonton continue to have them tied at 67 points entering the final week.
The Leafs have four games remaining against Florida, Columbus, at Philadelphia and at New Jersey, while the Oilers have a home-and-home with the Vancouver Canucks to end the season. Calgary's 5-0 shutout of Edmonton has them five points in front of the Leafs and Columbus moved three points ahead of Toronto with a 5-1 victory over Carolina. Barring an unforeseen win streak in their final four games, the Leafs are well positioned to finish at least 29th, based on the three point gap between Columbus/Winnipeg and their league low ROW(regulation and overtime wins) tiebreaker.
Calgary : 72 pts – 31 ROW – 3 games left (LA, VAN, @MIN) Vancouver : 71 pts – 25 ROW - 4 games left (LA, @EDM, @CAL, EDM) Winnipeg : 70 pts – 29 ROW - 4 games left (MIN, @ANA, @SJ, @LA) Columbus : 70 pts – 25 ROW - 4 games left (NYR, @TOR, @BUF, CHI) Edmonton : 67 pts – 26 ROW - 2 games left (VAN, @VAN) Toronto : 67 pts – 22 ROW - 4 games left (FLA, CLB, @PHI, @NJ)
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The Toronto Marlies are back to their winning ways thanks to a wave of reinforcements from the Leafs and the NCAA.
Zach Hyman, Connor Brown and Ben Smith scored in victories over Syracuse and Grand Rapids after being sent down by Toronto last week. 2011 draft choice Tony Cameranesi(Minnesota-Duluth) and free agent Shane Conacher(brother of former NHLer Cory) scored their first professional goals, while UMD goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo won his pro debut on Friday, making the 22-year-old the eighth goaltender to register a victory for the Marlies this season.
The club will be getting more help, as William Nylander is expected to be sent down once the injured Peter Holland is ready to return to the lineup, but could also be getting players from clubs eliminated from the CHL playoffs.
According to the Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan defenseman Andrew Nielsen will join the Marlies after the Lethbridge Hurricanes were eliminated from the WHL playoffs on Friday.
The 19-year-old blueliner had 18 goals and 52 assists(third in WHL scoring) this season and will get into a few games with the Marlies before the start of the post-season.
Note : Continue to check back to my column on Hockeybuzz throughout the day for the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter
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