It’s deja vu all over again in the Stanley Cup playoffs for Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri.
The oft-disciplined center figures to earn another NHL sitdown after he cross-checked Boston Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk in the head during the third period of Toronto’s 4-1 loss to the Bruins in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday at TD Garden.
Kadri was assessed a five-minute major for cross-checking and a game misconduct. He has been offered an in-person hearing with the NHL’s player safety department.
Toronto’s Nazem Kadri has been offered an in-person hearing for Cross-checking Boston’s Jake DeBrusk. Date and time TBD.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) April 14, 2019
Generally, in-person hearings are only held when a player is facing a suspension of five games or more in length.
It’s not the first time Kadri has found himself on the wrong side of the NHL justice system. The Leafs center owns a lengthy rap sheet. He was suspended three games last spring, also during a playoff series against the Bruins when he slammed the head of Boston forward Tommy Wingels into the boards with a bodycheck.
Nazem Kadri’s suspension history
Nov. 13, 2013: 3 games for hit to the head (Niklas Backstrom)
Mar. 16, 2015: 4 games for illegal check to the head (Matt Fraser)
Apr. 2, 2016: 4 games for cross-checking (Luke Glendening)
Apr. 12, 2018: 3 games for boarding (Tommy Wingels)— Mike Commito (@mikecommito) April 14, 2019
Kadri has also been fined three times by the league – twice for diving (embellishment) and once for a throat-slashing gesture he directed at Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano.
Considering his past history, how many games will Kadri be set down for this time around?
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