Thursday, December 17, 2009

Opportunity knocks for Kadri

Last year, Nazem Kadri was awakened by a telephone call signalling the end of the line in his quest to make Canada's national junior hockey team.

By MORRIS DALLA COSTA, FREE PRESS SPORTS COLUMNIST

Last year, Nazem Kadri was awakened by a telephone call signalling the end of the line in his quest to make Canada's national junior hockey team.

This year, the knock on the door brought congratulations from Team Canada's staff and Team Canada equipment, signifying the London Knights' centre had fulfilled one of his dreams.

He likes the knock on the door a whole lot better.

The first-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs was one of 22 players named to the team competing in the world championship in Saskatoon over the holiday season.

"Needless to say, I didn't sleep very well (Tuesday night)," Kadri said. "It was pretty much a sleepless night, but finally I kind of closed my eyes and next thing you know I got a knock at the door. Last year, it was a phone call and I didn't want that happening again. I dreamed about it every time I closed my eyes."

It will be nothing but sweet dreams from here on in for Kadri.

Last year, Kadri went to camp having just come off a broken jaw he sustained while playing for the Knights. He admitted he didn't feel well going into that camp.

But this year, Kadri went in on a high, playing well for the Knights.

"I had a lot of confidence," he said. "All I had to do was perform."

Kadri is a gifted offensive player whose skills will be vital for a team many feel is not as offensively talented as junior teams of the past. But media reports from the first day of selection camp indicated Kadri had struggled.

Kadri says he stayed away from media reports as much as possible.

"To be honest, the first day, I thought I played pretty good. It wasn't a dominating performance from me, but it was an intrasquad game and I was a little tired and I was trying to feel things out," he said. "I don't really listen to all the media talk and what they say about the game. But for me personally, I thought I played pretty well and kept getting stronger as the camp went on."

The short selection camp is one of the most stressful and emotional experiences a junior hockey player will go through. Every move is scrutinized and dissected, not only by the coaching staff, but by the individual player as well.

"It's a ton of pressure," Kadri said. "It's such little time to showcase everything you have. You have to find quick chemistry with your linemates. But I made it through, that was the important thing. That's the pressure facing every young hockey player's career and I think I handled it pretty well.

"Every game, every shift, you kind of assess yourself and think about what you could have done better. But that's what makes us such good hockey players. It's how you always evaluate yourself. We're kind of our biggest critics."

Kadri is probably under a little bigger microscope. As a Toronto Maple Leaf draft choice, No. 7 overall in last year's draft, Kadri is the focus of a major media market and, as such, attracts a great deal of attention.

"The majority of (the attention) is because I was drafted by the Leafs," he said. "There's certainly some pressure I have to take on my shoulders, but I'm willing to do so."

The coaching staff cut its roster from 31 to 22 yesterday. Among the last cuts was Londoner Matt Hackett, who plays goal for the Plymouth Whalers. Jake Allen of Montreal and Martin Jones of Calgary will handle the goaltending duties.

As for Kadri, it's going to take a while to come off the high of making the team.

"Honestly, I can't put it in words," Kadri said. "I've been watching this tournament ever since I was seven, eight years old. I'd watch this tournament with my dad. To finally be a part of this team and represent my country on the nation stage is a great thrill.

"It's such a high for me, I don't know how to get down. This is something I've wanted for a long time to be a part of this roster. It's still pretty surreal to me."