There were reverberations throughout the lineup Friday. Kadri didn’t practise and others were moved around — Patrick Marleau to centre with Zach Hyman as his left winger, and Leo Komarov to the top line to get a little bit more Brad Marchand face time.
The rookie speedster was the direct beneficiary of playing time now when Nazem Kadri was suspended for three games for a dangerous check to the head of Tommy Wingels. It is Kadri’s fourth suspension.
BOSTON—Andreas Johnsson sat in stall in the corner of the visitors room at the TD Garden with that omnipresent smile of his and declared: “I’m ready.”
And Johnsson, a rookie, looks to be getting his first NHL playoff action, as he slid on to the fourth line and took Kadri’s place on the top power-play unit. He’s played in the playoffs in the American Hockey League and the Swedish elite league, so he thinks he has a good idea what to expect.
“It’s playoff hockey, everything is tighter, everyone is skating hard, everyone finishes their check. It’s going to be a lot of hits and high tempo out there. It’s the playoffs. Everyone wants to win.”
Johnsson had a few thoughts on Game 1, when the Leafs were dominated by the Bruins and lost 5-1.
“It’s momentum,” he said. “I feel like when it was 1-1 in the second period, we had a lot of chances, and we didn’t score. Then they got the chances, and they scored, and they got the momentum and energy with that.
“I feel like if we could have scored with the chances we had, it would be (the) opposite (result).”
Johnsson’s speed and skill will be welcome, but the Leafs will need more from the rest of the team if they’re going to have any success against the Bruins.
It was quite possible coach Mike Babcock would have juggled his lines anyway, since he tried to get Komarov out against Marchand in Game 1. The matchup will be easier since Boston coach Bruce Cassidy seems intent on playing the line of Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak against Auston Matthews.
“I think the biggest thing is (Komarov) was competitive (Thursday) night,” Babcock said. “We’re trying to get the most competitive people involved as much as we possibly can. We think he’s been getting better. He’s been off. Wasn’t as good when he first got back. He needs to be a factor.”
Wingels didn’t practise for the Bruins, his spot taken by rookie Ryan Donato.
Between Kadri’s prolonged absence and a terrible first effort, adversity has hit the Maple Leafs early in the series.
“No. 1 is, it’s probably good for us,” Babcock said. “If you played like we did, you deserve a little adversity — and then how are we going to handle it? We’re a better team than (that). As much as we prepared and talked to it, they competed harder than we did and, in the end, if you don’t compete harder than the other team, you can’t win. We got what we deserved in the end. So we have a day here to get regrouped.
Regrouping included video work to go over mistakes and discuss how to be better.
“We didn’t make them earn the goals they got,” Hyman said. “There were goals that were preventable. They played hard. We have to play better.”
When they took the ice, it certainly didn’t look right to see Hyman play on someone other than Matthews’ wing.
“It will be weird because we’ve played so much with each other over the last (two) years,” Matthews said. “You’ve got to make adjustments.”
It’s the kind of move that might be necessary to kick-start the team.
“We have played with different guys,” Hyman said. “Auston was out for 20 games. We were shuffling the lines then. Playing with Marleau and Marner, it’s good. It’s a good shakeup.”
Toronto Maple Leafs centre Nazem Kadri has been suspended three games by the NHL for his hit on Boston Bruins forward Tommy Wingels in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Kadri was assessed a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct at 8:18 of the third period Thursday after leaving his feet and driving the head of Wingels, who was on his knees, into the boards.
The check came seconds after Wingels caught Leafs winger Mitch Marner with a high hit.
Kadri will miss Game 2 tomorrow night and Games 3 and 4 in Toronto.
Toronto’s Nazem Kadri suspended three games for boarding Boston’s Tommy Wingels. https://t.co/YKyNt1Kcu0 —@NHLPlayerSafety
Prior to the news, Leafs coach Mike Babcock was sanguine about the expected suspension.
"We lost guys all year long. Dig in and play," Babcock said. "Playoffs are real simple: If you win, you play again. If you don't, you go home. We want to keep playing.
"You spend all this time preparing and working. Now we've got to show it."
Boston beats Toronto 5-1, David Pastrnak goal and 2 assists. 2:08
Kadri pleaded his innocence following Game 1, but was nowhere to be seen at practice on Friday.
Wingels was not on the ice at Boston's practice either, and his status for Saturday remains up in the air.
In Kadri's absence at the Leafs' skate, Patrick Marleau slid from the wing to centre on the second line, with Zach Hyman taking up the veteran's usual spot opposite Marner.
Leo Komarov was bumped up to the first line from the fourth to skate alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander in Hyman's old slot, while rookie Andreas Johnsson appears set to make his playoff debut in the bottom-six with Tomas Plekanec and Kasperi Kapanen.
"I've gone back and forth all year," Marleau said of moving to the middle. "It's a little bit different, but should be fine."
Babcock said the switch isn't a long-term solution, but one he likes in the interim.
"He's a big body and knows how to play," the coach said of Marleau. "He's a guy who's comfortable in the playoffs, comfortable in the middle. He's been there before."
Hyman was one of the lone bright spots for Toronto in Game 1, scoring on a terrific solo effort to tie things 1-1 in the first period.
Boston's Tommy Wingels lies on the ice as teammate Zdeno Chara (33) goes after Toronto's Nazem Kadri after the Leafs' hit on Wingels in Game 1. (Elise Amendola/Associated Press)
"Speed, tenacious on the forecheck, heavy body, goes to the front of the net," Marleau said of his potential new winger. "He creates a lot of room out there.
"Usually first guy to the puck, using his body to his advantage."
The Leafs failed to match the Bruins' intensity early in Game 1, but survived and had a couple of chances to go ahead before the Bruins scored twice late in the second period to put the game out of reach.
The likes of Matthews, Marner and Nylander, who all go their first taste of playoff hockey at this level last spring in a six-game loss to Washington, were unable to find space through a crowded neutral zone, while Boston's top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak led the way for the Bruins with six points combined.
"Playoff hockey is going to be physical, but with two teams that are big rivals that seems to be elevated a little bit more," Matthews said. "We definitely can do a better job in a lot of different areas."
Another topic Friday was an odd exchange that saw Marchand lick Komarov's face after the two came together near the benches — marking the second time the two have gotten close this season.
"It doesn't bother me," Komarov said. "I play hockey and he plays hockey, and he's a good player, and we just keep competing."
Babcock played down Marchand's antics, adding that it's up to his team to try to match the Bruins' best players.
"I saw a real good player working real hard," Babcock said. "The rest of that stuff, that's not what makes him good. What makes him good is he's competitive.
"Their three guys were more competitive than ours, and in the end, that's why they had success."
And for the Leafs to have success and avoid an 0-2 hole before the teams head to Air Canada Centre for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Thursday, they need to get back to the hard work that had them setting franchise records this season.
"It's no different than writing an exam," Babcock said. "If you prepare hard, you expect good results. If you go there and you don't get them, you say: 'What did I do wrong so I can be better next time.'
"That's what this is."
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri will have a hearing Friday for boarding/charging Boston Bruins forward Tommy Wingels Thursday night in Game 1 of the Leafs-Bruins first-round playoff series, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.
The 27-year-old was not at practice on Friday, and Leafs head coach Mike Babcock used the opportunity to shake up his lines. Leo Komarov moved up to the top line with Auston Matthews and William Nylander, while Zach Hyman, who scored the team's lone goal in Game 1, formed a line with winger-turned-centre Patrick Marleau and Mitch Marner. Andreas Johnsson, who was healthy scratch in Game 1 was added to the fourth line, replacing Komarov:
Komarov-Matthews-Nylander
Hyman-Marleau-Marner
van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Brown
Johnsson-Plekanec-Kapanen
Johnsson, who joined the team in March after spending most of the year in the AHL, took Kadri's place on the team's top power play unit. Johnsson worked with Morgan Rielly, Tyler Bozak, Mitch Marner and James van Riemsdyk. Jake Gardiner, Auston Matthews, Leo Komarov, William Nylander and Patrick Marleau formed the second group.
Kadri took exception to an elbow to teammate Mitch Marner from Wingels in the third period and replied by taking a run at the Bruins forward after he tumbled to the ice, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct in the process.
"I just felt like he made contact with Mitchy's head to start, and I didn't see a call there," Kadri said postgame. "He was turning up the wall so I was committed to the hit, and then he ended up falling. It happened pretty quick. It's in the hands of the NHL."
Kadri said he believes it would have been a clean hit if Wingels had not fallen to the ice.
"It's out of my control at this point. I certainly wasn't trying to hit him when he was down like that. I was already committed to the hit. If he's still standing up, there's nothing wrong with that."
According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, Kadri isn't technically a repeat offender -- a penalty that applies to players suspended within the last 18 months -- because he was last suspended two years ago, but "repeat offender" status means the loss of wages is calculated differently than non-repeat offenders and since players don't get paid in the playoffs, the distinction doesn't mean much now. Kadri's previous suspensions can still be used against him when determining any potential punishment for the Leafs' forward. McKenzie also notes that playoff and regular season games are not treated equally for suspension purposes.
Kadri was suspended four games for cross-checking Luke Glendening in 2016, four games for a hit to the head on Matt Fraser in March of 2015 and three games for running goaltender Niklas Backstrom in November of 2013.
The Maple Leafs ultimately lost Thursday's game 5-1. Game 2 goes Saturday evening in Boston.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri (43) questions a penalty called against him during the third period in Game 1. (Photo: Bob DeChiara, USA TODAY Sports)
Toronto Maple Leafs fans will want to blame the NHL for Nazem Kadri’s three-game suspension for boarding, but this one is on him.
Kadri would argue that he was standing up for a teammate, but what he ended up doing was letting down his team. Kadri is a valuable player, a 32-goal scorer with an edge to his game. He matches up well against top offensive players.
Now he is gone for three games of a seven-game series because he allowed his emotions get away from him.
On Thursday, the NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty for a well-intentioned check that evolved into an illegal hit to the head. It was a rule that could have gone either way. I thought it was deserving of a one-game suspension, and maybe you didn’t. Doughty said Thursday: “I don’t think for one second that was suspension-worthy.”
It was either no suspension or one game. No one was thinking more than that. It was a judgment.
Kadri’s hit was two stops past acceptable. With his team trailing 4-1 to the Boston Bruins, Kadri went after Tommy Wingels after Wingels came up high with a hit against Kadri teammate Mitch Marner. Wingels was vulnerable, with his back turned, when Kadri drove into him. Wingels’ head slams into the boards. Anyone who watched that hit would say Kadri was seeking retribution and trying to inflict pain. He could have easily avoided that hit.
This is the kind of hit that the NHL has aggressively tried to eradicate. The mandate has been to protect defenseless players. Wingels was defenseless. Kadri knew that. He skated a few strides before making contact.
In the video explanation of the suspension, player safety stated: “It’s important to note that Kadri is in control of this hit at all times.”
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Even old school hockey guys would have a difficult time defending this hit. You like when teammates stand up for each other, but there were ways to do that without earning a suspension. Kadri sought to inflict pain on Wingels, but ended up hurting his team in an important playoff series.
He has no one to blame but himself.
