TORONTO — Nary a day goes by where Nazem Kadri doesn’t find himself summoned to the coach’s office.
More often than not, however, Mike Babcock has an uplifting message to deliver rather than one of the opposite nature.
Kadri describes the meetings as “very positive, very supportive, encouraging” — a list of adjectives that could just as easily be applied to the way he’s started the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This is an extremely important campaign for the 25-year-old centre, who no longer qualifies as a young player making his way in the NHL. Instead, he’s one of the most talented members of a talent-starved Leafs roster and is expected to be a key contributor.
It’s also no coincidence that Kadri has received so much 1-on-1 time with Babcock since the organization is still trying to determine whether he fits into the longer-term plans.
Given the wider implications, it’s pretty notable that the coach has already twice came away from a game saying it was the best he’d seen Kadri play — first after the pre-season finale vs. Detroit and again in the wake of Saturday’s 2-1 loss in Pittsburgh.
That seems to be consistent with the message being delivered to the player behind closed doors, too.
“He’s comfortable when I have the puck and the decisions I make with the puck,” said Kadri. “Something I have to get better at is away from the puck, playing without it, and certain things like that. He thinks the last three or four games I’ve gotten a lot better at that.
“I think I’m starting to build the trust, or gain the trust that I need from him.”
To watch Kadri early in this regular season is to see an involved player. He’s already generated 27 shots on goal — the NHL’s second-highest total behind Taylor Hall, entering play Tuesday — and would have more than one goal and one assist to his credit with a little better puck luck.
“Hopefully we’re going to catch fire here pretty soon,” said Kadri.
However, offensive contributions comprise only a small part of how he’ll be measured. Babcock wants to get to a point where he trusts Kadri in tough head-to-head matchups, and likes that he’s shown more proficiency in both the defensive zone and faceoff circle.
With Tyler Bozak out injured for the game in Pittsburgh — he’s not expected to play Wednesday night in Buffalo, either — Kadri was the team’s No. 1 centre and didn’t have any easy shifts as a result.
“He played a lot of the game head-to-head against (Evgeni) Malkin,” said Babcock. “I thought he was good defensively and created lots of offence, which is positive for us.”
Kadri has been down this road before with a new boss.
Ron Wilson, Randy Carlyle and Peter Horachek have all spent time coaching him in the NHL, and Dallas Eakins showed the former seventh overall pick plenty of tough love in the American Hockey League.
What makes the current environment unique is that Babcock expects to be here for eight seasons and Kadri knows he’s running low on chances. The message was pretty clear when the organization gave him a three-game suspension because of off-ice issues near the end of last season.
To his credit, the response has been positive — and time spent with Babcock going over video or strategy seems to be helping.
“He doesn’t sugercoat anything, that’s for sure; he’ll tell me when I’m not doing something good enough or when I am,” said Kadri.
There’s been plenty to like.
“I just feel more comfortable in my D-zone, I feel more comfortable in the neutral zone,” said Kadri. “Playing away from the puck before I tended to puck watch and get a little bit lost. Now I know exactly what the assignment is, I know where to be.
“I mean I’m going to mistakes, there’s going to be growing pains, but for the most part I know exactly what I have to do.”
And should he have any questions he knows where to find the answers.
