Nov 28, 2018
Thornton coy on Kadri bad blood
San Jose coach Peter DeBoer insists his team’s beef with Maple Leafs centre Nazem Kadri is over, but there seems to be a lot of frustration with Kadri in the Sharks room, Mark Masters writes.
By Mark Masters
TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes on the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs (optional) and Sharks (optional) skated at Scotiabank Arena ahead of Wednesday night’s game in Toronto.
Peter DeBoer insists it’s case closed when it comes to his team’s beef with Maple Leafs centre Nazem Kadri.
"That’s in the rear-view mirror," the San Jose Sharks coach said on Wednesday morning.
The last time San Jose visited Toronto on Jan. 4, Kadri fought Joe Thornton off the opening faceoff. The Sharks then targeted Kadri, seeking some form of retribution, in the game earlier this month in California.
"I love Naz," said DeBoer, who coached Kadri in Kitchener. "I drafted him. We won an OHL championship together. I love him. I love how he plays. All I would say is I hope when Naz is 38 and playing on reconstructed knees and had the career that Joe’s had that the next generation of player gives Naz the amount of respect that he deserves and has earned and that’s a lesson."
Kadri has repeatedly said it was Thornton who initiated the fight so it’s not completely clear what specifically angered the Sharks. Kadri and Thornton jousted with their sticks before the faceoff so perhaps the Sharks believe Kadri gave Thornton no choice.
Once the pair dropped their gloves, Thornton seemed to be gesturing at Kadri to remove his helmet, which Kadri didn’t do. As he was tumbling to the ice, Kadri reached for Thornton’s sweater, but instead grabbed his long beard, pulling out a piece.
After the game, Kadri joked that he was a hockey player and not a barber. So, perhaps the Sharks took umbrage with that as well.
Regardless, there seems to be a lot of frustration with Kadri in the Sharks room.
"I wouldn't say it was frustration,” said Logan Couture before taking a pause to consider his next words. "I have an opinion on that I'm not going to say."
Thornton held a brief media session on Wednesday morning.
"Lunch is waiting," the veteran centre said with a grin promising to take at least three questions.
So, what does he think of his teammates going after Kadri in the game on Nov. 15?
"A good player, yeah, but I don’t know if we were going after him or not. I don’t know."
Does he have any issue with Kadri fighting him last year?
"No, no," he said shaking his head. "Not at all. We’ll see what happens tonight. It’s a hockey game so you never know what can happen."
Kadri and Thornton will each enter tonight's tilt as the third-line centre on their team and could end up seeing quite a bit of each other.
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Leafs’ defenceman Travis Dermott scored his first goal of the season on Monday night against the Bruins and almost had a nice assist as well. His beautiful stretch pass in the first period sprung Kadri for a breakaway.
"Honestly, my depth perception was a little off on Nazzy there. I didn't realize he had a breakaway. I thought, hopefully, he could get the puck in,” Dermott said with a chuckle. "So, that seemed to work out."
When plays like that work it can only boost your confidence and the young defenceman seems to be gaining more and more by the day following an uneven start.
"Making plays is all confidence," he agreed. "Gaining confidence, you kind of get it over time after, kind of get it after you're comfortable for a while – make some good plays and then confidence seems to creep in and it’s nice when you find that and can just ride it as long as you can."
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Dealing with an illness this week, Nikita Zaitsev missed Tuesday’s practice, but the defenceman was back on the ice at today’s optional morning skate.
Leafs head coach Mike Babcock confirmed that Frederik Gauthier will be a healthy scratch tonight.
Projected Leafs lineup for tonight’s game:
Marleau-Matthews-Kapanen
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Johnsson-Kadri-Brown
Ennis-Lindholm-Leivo
Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Ozhiganov
Andersen starts
Sparks