The Flames remain longshots for a playoff spot but are receiving all they expected and more from Kadri in his elevated role
Nazem Kadri has been as consistent as any Calgary Flames skater this season, especially after the calendar flipped to November.
A case can be made Kadri has elevated his play ever since the Flames dealt away Elias Lindholm during the all-star break. In the eight games since the respite, Kadri has collected four goals — including the game winner in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins — and 11 points.
“From the start of the year, I feel he was that way,” coach Ryan Huska said. “Maybe now, he’s taking on a few more minutes than before, but I feel he’s been consistent from the beginning of the year.”
His ice time has been north of 19:30 in four of the past five games, proving that theory correct.
Kadri, who reached the 20-goal mark with his tally and leads the Flames with 50 points, has certainly become a bigger part of the club and not just with goals and points. Skating on a line with rookies in Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil, he has taken a big leadership role.
“He’s used the word coaching, at times,” Huska said. “I think he feels he has a big responsibility.”
Now, more takeaways from a game in which Jacob Markstrom was spectacular, and created more debate whether the Flames should trade their star netminder or keep him and hope to make the playoffs:
- Andrei Kuzmenko played less than two minutes after the second period. His offensive prowess is undeniable, but it’s not hard to understand why he was in and out of the coach’s doghouse with Rick Tocchet and the Vancouver Canucks.
- Easy to lose in the shuffle, but Calgary’s penalty kill was did a fantastic job in dousing three Boston advantages. The Bruins mustered five shots during those opportunities, and Markstrom delivered a couple of spectacular saves, but the Flames need that level of defending to have any success.
- Speaking of Markstrom. With his 211th victory, he moves ahead of Tommy Salo into second spot for wins by a Swedish goaltender, behind Henrik Lundqvist (459).
- That overtime was as breathtaking as we’ve seen all season. And entertaining. “They goalies made it pretty interesting because they played the puck a lot,” Oliver Kylington said. “That made the game go back-and-forth. That’s the way you play three-on-three, you catch guys on changes and stuff like that.”