Amid career year, Nazem Kadri is no longer a mystery

Nazem Kadri has never scored more than 35 goals, even in junior hockey. But if stays at the rate he's currently maintaining, 2017-18 will be a career-defining year for the 27-year-old. 

Kadri, the at-times feisty, at-times net-clever forward, has been somewhat of a problem to label. First line centre? Not really. Second line centre? Mostly yes, when his defensive play has reflected it. Third line centre? At times he's played that role.

But this year, slotted in the second line between Patrick Marleau and Leo Komarov, Kadri is having a season to remember. At his current pace he'll finish off the year with 37 goals, 34 assists and 71 points. He ranks only behind superstar Auston Matthews in team scoring with 10 goals through the first 22 games. 

Interestingly, it seems that having a career year wasn't completely in Kadri's plans this year, especially since coach Mike Babcock needed him to play the role of a shut down centre. 

Per Yahoo! Sports, "Following his career-defining campaign, where he learned that a commitment to the defensive end would open up the greatest opportunity in the attacking third, Kadri has returned this season as more accomplished, further validated, still supremely motivated, and more and more comfortable with the difficult assignments he tackles every night.

"And now, we’re learning about what he’s capable of with a new set of objectives in his sights.

"Kadri ranks behind only Auston Matthews in team scoring with 10 goals through the first 21 games. It has him flirting with a pace that would see him enter a whole new stratosphere altogether: 40 goals."

“It’s not necessarily about how many goals you’re scoring or how many points you’re scoring; it’s how you can help your team win in certain ways,” he said, echoing his instruction. “I’m fortunate to be in a pretty important role, and my teammates rely on me and I rely on them.

“That’s motivating.”

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