Where is Kadri and what's going on with his development?

[Corn Flake]

I say bring him up next season and just let him play.  He'll have had enough time in the AHL, and an AHL playoff run hopefully, under his belt.  I think just let him stay and adjust up here, and if he needs to work on his defence still, well I'm sure Carlyle can help that.

But it isn't just about defense.. if he can't handle AHL size and strength he isn't going to do any better at the NHL level.  ErnDog has noted it as well.. you can see him getting shoved off the puck easily, he doesn't win battles along the boards, etc etc. etc.

3 AHL seasons isn't the end of the world for a prospect. It feels like an entire career but it really is not that big of a deal.  Frustrating? Yeah, but if he isn't ready, then he isn't ready.  As long as it doesn't become a waiver problem, patience is a virtue.

 

[Corn Flake]

At some point the problem becomes protecting him from waivers. Pretty sure he can't stay in the AHL another 2 years. I'm not even sure if he can stay there next year without being waiver eligible.  Its still surprising that after 3 years he still isn't strong enough to make it work.  Might be simply a matter of maturing later, which does happen.  Too bad waivers won't wait.

According to the capgeek waiver calculator, he's got 31 NHL games or some NHL year(s) left. It worked differently than I expected so I'm not absolutely sure it is correct.

Thanks CW.  As far as holding on to him and leaving him in the AHL, this is the only area where I would be concerned. 

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I say bring him up next season and just let him play.  He'll have had enough time in the AHL, and an AHL playoff run hopefully, under his belt.  I think just let him stay and adjust up here, and if he needs to work on his defence still, well I'm sure Carlyle can help that.

But it isn't just about defense.. if he can't handle AHL size and strength he isn't going to do any better at the NHL level.  ErnDog has noted it as well.. you can see him getting shoved off the puck easily, he doesn't win battles along the boards, etc etc. etc.

3 AHL seasons isn't the end of the world for a prospect. It feels like an entire career but it really is not that big of a deal.  Frustrating? Yeah, but if he isn't ready, then he isn't ready.  As long as it doesn't become a waiver problem, patience is a virtue.

I never thought Matt Stajan looked particularly strong ever, so if he could last this long up here, I'm sure a more skilled player like Kadri should be okay.  Playing up here might just show him for good how much stronger he needs to be and lead to him solving that issue while getting NHL experience.

If it's just a matter of gaining strength then I don't have a problem with him figuring that out at the NHL level.

 

[Optimus Reimer]

I would not even consider bringing him up for any part of the remaining season - he doesn't need to be exposed to the circus act going on with the team.  Unless he is traded during the off season, he should be playing with the Leafs next season and not in the A.   

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I would not even consider bringing him up for any part of the remaining season - he doesn't need to be exposed to the circus act going on with the team.

They can't, they used up their 4 call-ups (unless it's an emergency where they urgently need a player they could call him up if they wanted, but it's unlikely).

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

I say bring him up next season and just let him play.  He'll have had enough time in the AHL, and an AHL playoff run hopefully, under his belt.  I think just let him stay and adjust up here, and if he needs to work on his defence still, well I'm sure Carlyle can help that.

But it isn't just about defense.. if he can't handle AHL size and strength he isn't going to do any better at the NHL level.

If a player happens to sneazy on Bozo he flies off the puck. He seems to be OK in the NHL.

 

[ZBBM]

I say bring him up next season and just let him play.  He'll have had enough time in the AHL, and an AHL playoff run hopefully, under his belt.  I think just let him stay and adjust up here, and if he needs to work on his defence still, well I'm sure Carlyle can help that.

I agree and it's part of the reason I'd have jumped all over dealing both Mac and Kulemin for 1sts.

Yes to all of this.  Kadri needs to be on the roster next year.  Good Lord, if he can't hold a spot on this sorry squad, it's time to let him go.

As for Kulemin and MacArthur, Burke's massive misjudgment at the deadline this year adds another item to Sluggo's list of failures in the BB thread.  I would be in a much happier frame of mind if we were going into the draft with 3 1sts.  At least then there'd be some reasonable hope of trading up, or else stocking up.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I say bring him up next season and just let him play.  He'll have had enough time in the AHL, and an AHL playoff run hopefully, under his belt.  I think just let him stay and adjust up here, and if he needs to work on his defence still, well I'm sure Carlyle can help that.

I agree and it's part of the reason I'd have jumped all over dealing both Mac and Kulemin for 1sts.

Yes to all of this.  Kadri needs to be on the roster next year.  Good Lord, if he can't hold a spot on this sorry squad, it's time to let him go.

As for Kulemin and MacArthur, Burke's massive misjudgment at the deadline this year adds another item to Sluggo's list of failures in the BB thread.  I would be in a much happier frame of mind if we were going into the draft with 3 1sts.  At least then there'd be some reasonable hope of trading up, or else stocking up.

Stocking up on more players who will likely amount to no better than either Kulemin or MacArthur?

 

[maplesyrup]

No. I don't like that idea so much but the picks could be used as ammo to either move up or as pieces to acquire better players via trade.

 

[bustaheims]

No. I don't like that idea so much but the picks could be used as ammo to either move up or as pieces to acquire better players via trade.

Considering renting Gaustad cost Nashville a 1st round pick, I think perhaps some people need to re-evaluate the value they're placing on late 1st rounders in this year's draft.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

No. I don't like that idea so much but the picks could be used as ammo to either move up or as pieces to acquire better players via trade.

Considering renting Gaustad cost Nashville a 1st round pick, I think perhaps some people need to re-evaluate the value they're placing on late 1st rounders in this year's draft.

Dunno, that Gaustad deal looks like the Philly Adam Oates deal when he was traded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Desperation perhaps.

 

[bustaheims]

Dunno, that Gaustad deal looks like the Philly Adam Oates deal when he was traded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Desperation perhaps.

Maybe, though, I don't buy it. Then again, look at the quality of the back half of the draft where those picks were - 2002. Outside of Ward and Steen, there's not a whole lot of 1st round type quality there, and none of the players taken with those 3 picks has played an NHL game.

 

[Kin]

Dunno, that Gaustad deal looks like the Philly Adam Oates deal when he was traded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Desperation perhaps.

I don't think that the Gaustad deal was one of desperation. I think it's more an example of the relative value of draft picks. A team like Nashville that's not only good but is widely regarded to have a very good crop of young players can legitimately look to the present and decide that the value of a late round first doesn't really match their pressing concerns. The Predators going deep in the playoffs is going to be as much of their pitch to Suter/Weber as anything and Gaustad, who is a big guy who hits and kills penalties, can be a part of a successful playoff run.

(And I think the terribleness of the Gaustad deal is being overstated slightly. If he'd been dealt for a second round pick from, say, Washington I don't think anyone would bat an eye and the difference between a second from the Caps and Nashville's 1st is likely going to be 18-20 spots or so. That's enough to make it an overpayment but not a crazy one.)

A team like the Leafs, on the other hand, probably do want to stockpile those picks in the hopes of striking gold.

 

[drummond]

2 goals tonight for Nazem including game winner, named 1st star of the game.

 

[Rebel_1812]

Dunno, that Gaustad deal looks like the Philly Adam Oates deal when he was traded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Desperation perhaps.

Maybe, though, I don't buy it. Then again, look at the quality of the back half of the draft where those picks were - 2002. Outside of Ward and Steen, there's not a whole lot of 1st round type quality there, and none of the players taken with those 3 picks has played an NHL game.

Steen is not first round quality.  He is the kind of average player you expect in the 3rd round.

 

[Jalili]

Dunno, that Gaustad deal looks like the Philly Adam Oates deal when he was traded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Desperation perhaps.

Maybe, though, I don't buy it. Then again, look at the quality of the back half of the draft where those picks were - 2002. Outside of Ward and Steen, there's not a whole lot of 1st round type quality there, and none of the players taken with those 3 picks has played an NHL game.

Steen is not first round quality.  He is the kind of average player you expect in the 3rd round.

Steen isn't 1st round quality? I would say he most certainly is.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Dunno, that Gaustad deal looks like the Philly Adam Oates deal when he was traded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd. Desperation perhaps.

Maybe, though, I don't buy it. Then again, look at the quality of the back half of the draft where those picks were - 2002. Outside of Ward and Steen, there's not a whole lot of 1st round type quality there, and none of the players taken with those 3 picks has played an NHL game.

Steen is not first round quality.  He is the kind of average player you expect in the 3rd round.

Oh, please.  80% of 3rd rounders either have an NHL career of 0-10 games total.  From his draft year, Steen is the 9th top scorer and has played the 14th most NHL games.  For being drafted 24th overall, he has outperformed his draft position, and his overall stature is very typical of your average to better than average 1st rounder.

Even compared to the crop of players drafted 2 years before him with up to 2 years more playing time under their belts, he still has played the 27th most games and is the 11th top scorer as compared to that group.

 

[bustaheims]

Steen is not first round quality.  He is the kind of average player you expect in the 3rd round.

Steen is exactly the type of player you tend to find in the back half of the 1st round. Just because you don't like him or you have absolutely no idea how drafts typically pan out doesn't change that.

 

[Rebel_1812]

If steen was that good why was he traded for nothing?  Its because he is a soft player who never put up more then 20 goals or more then 45 points a season while with Toronto.  Yes he has played better with St Louis, however with us despite being given every opportunity to succeed he was a 2nd - 3rd liner at best.

 

[Bullfrog]

Not being a 1st line player equals not being successful?

Our current team, which is currently tied for 8th in both team goals and team assists, only has three players over 45 points.