Nazem Kadri

Nazem Kadri (born on October 6, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL).

He has also played with the Kitchener Rangers and the London Knights. Nazem was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs seventh overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Nazem won the J. Ross Robertson Cup with the Rangers and he played in the 2008 Memorial Cup, losing in the final to the Spokane Chiefs.

He represented Canada at the 2010 World Junior Championships where the team won the silver medal.

Minor Hockey Career
Nazem grew up playing minor hockey for the London Jr. Knights of the MHAO's AAA Pavilion League.

He was a key member of MHAO championship teams in Peewee, Bantam and Minor Midget before moving onto the OHL in 2006-07.

Nazem participated in the 2003 All-Ontario Peewee Championships in Markham, Ontario and the 2005 All-Ontario Bantam Championships in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Junior Hockey Career
Nazem started his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career with the Kitchener Rangers after being selected in the first round (18th overall) of the 2006 OHL Priority Selection.

During Nazem's second season in the OHL, he played 68 games scoring 25 goals and adding 40 assists.

During the playoffs, he helped the Rangers to an OHL Championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup final, where they lost to the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL.

After the 2007–08 season was complete, Nazem was traded by the Rangers to the London Knights for a package of draft picks.

He played the 2008–09 season for his hometown Knights. He played in 56 games, where he scored 25 goals and added 53 assists.

Nazem lost time during the 2008–09 season when he suffered a broken jaw. He was selected to play for Team OHL in the ADT Canada Russia Challenge, but was unable to participate due to this injury.

Nazem was invited to Team Canada's selection camp for the 2009 World Junior Championships, but he did not make the team.

Also during the 2008–09 season, he was chosen to play in the OHL All-Star Classic, where he suited up for the Western Conference and scored a goal.

After the season was complete, Nazem was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round (7th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. On July 6, 2009, he signed a 3-year, entry level contract with the club.

After being cut from the Maple Leafs, he returned to play for the Knights in the OHL. He was selected to play for Team OHL in the 2009 Subway Super Series (renamed from the ADT Canada Russia Challenge).

Nazem was also selected to represent the Western Conference in the 2009–10 OHL All-Star Classic, his second appearance in the league's All-Star Game in as many seasons.

On March 30, 2010, he was named the CHL Player of the Week, after recording 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists) in 3 games.

The OHL named Nazem the league's Player of the Month for April of 2010, a month in which he recorded 26 points (9 goals, 17 assists) in 10 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs
Nazem attended training camp with the Maple Leafs prior to the 2009–10 season. He played in 6 pre-season games with the club in which he scored 3 goals and added 2 assists.

Coach Ron Wilson had said prior to training camp that Nazem would need to be one of the team's top 6 forwards in order to make the club. He was returned to the Knights prior to the start of the NHL regular season.

Because of injuries to Christian Hanson and Fredrik Sjostrom, Nazem was called up to the Maple Leafs under an emergency basis and he made his NHL debut on February 8, 2010 against the San Jose Sharks.

He didn't register any points and finished with a minus 1 rating This was a one game only call up and Nazem returned to the London Knights following the game.

Coach Ron Wilson said that Nazem will most likely be with the Leafs in the 2010-2011 season, though this was in doubt after comments made by both Wilson and Burke during the pre-season, indicating that Nazem had not played to the level they expected and is "running out of time" to prove himself.

In addition, Burke is a strong supporter of rookies gaining experience at the AHL level.

Nazem was included in the Maple Leafs last round of cuts and was sent to the Toronto Marlies for the start of the season.

On November 12, 2010, Nazem was called up by the Toronto Maple Leafs along with fellow leaf prospect Keith Aulie.

On November 16, 2010, he recorded his first NHL point against the Nashville Predators, assisting on a goal by Kris Versteeg.

On November 18, 2010, Nazem recorded his first multi-point night with 2 assists in a game against the New Jersey Devils.

On March 19, 2011, he recorded his first NHL goal against Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins.

Nazem was named to the AHL All-Star game in 2012. Prior to 2012-2013 season, he started training under Gary Roberts over the summer to gain muscle and play more explosively.

On January 19, 2013, Nazem finally made the starting roster for the Maple Leafs in their season opener against the Montreal Canadiens.

He would score the first Leafs goal of the season with a power play mark assisted by Phil Kessel against Carey Price. Nazem finished the game named the game's first star.

A month later (in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning), Nazem had his first NHL fight with Tampa's Victor Hedman.

With the Leafs losing 4-1 late in the game, Hedman delivered a cross check to the back of Nazem who then confronted the 6'6 defenceman. Punches were then exchanged before teammates and officials quickly broke up the fight.

On February 28, 2013, Nazem scored his first career hat trick, in a 5-4 win over the New York Islanders.

On March 30, 2013, he scored his second career hat trick and of the season in a 4-0 win over the Ottawa Senators.

Nazem would finish the season with 18 goals and 26 assists, finishing second only to Phil Kessel in points and goals.

On May 4, 2013, Nazem got his first playoff point getting an assist on the goal by Phil Kessel after he sent him on the breakaway.

On May 13, 2013 Nazem scored his first playoff goal against Boston in Game 7 during the third period. On September 11, 2013, he was signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs on a two-year contract worth $5.8 million.

On November 13 2013, Nazem delivered an elbow to the head of Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom.

As a result, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety handed him a three-game suspension.

Awards & Achievements

 * 2010 OHL Second All-Star Team
 * 2013 THN Cam Neely Award (Breakout Player)

International Play
Nazem played for Team Ontario at the 2007 Canada Winter Games, where they won a gold medal.

He first represented Canada at the 2007 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament where the team finished fourth.

Nazem was invited to Team Canada's selection camp for the 2010 World Junior Championships held in Regina, Saskatchewan.

After being cut in 2009, he was selected to represent Canada in 2010. In Canada's preliminary round game against the Americans, Nazem was one of the players selected for the shootout, and he scored on goaltender Jack Campbell to help Canada secure the victory.

During the tournament, Nazem scored 3 goals and added 5 assists. During the tournament, he attracted attention for his refusal to shake hands with Switzerland's Nino Niederreiter after their semi-final game.

Nazem did not elaborate on the specifics of what caused his refusal, but it did absolve Niederreiter of using an ethnic slur: "Obviously, in big games like that, guys tend to lose their composure a bit, but I didn't take offence to anything he said. It was just that I felt like I didn't have to shake his hand."

He later had second thoughts about his refusal: "I regret it a little bit."

During the gold medal game against the United States, Nazem had two assists including one on Jordan Eberle's tying goal with 1 minute and 35 seconds left.

Canada lost the game in overtime, leaving Nazem and his teammates with the silver medal.

Personal Life
Nazem's parents are Sam & Sue. He has four sisters: Yasmine, Sabrine, Reema and Rayanne. He is named after his grandfather.

Nazem's dad moved to Canada from the small town of Kferdenis in Lebanon when he was only four years old.

Nazem is an Arab and Muslim Canadian. He says he has never run into any issues on the ice with trash talking concerning his religious beliefs.

He was the first Muslim drafted by the Maple Leafs. In high school, Nazem was a member of his school's Muslim Student Association.

Nazem is the fourth player of Lebanese descent to play in the NHL, following in the footsteps of John Hanna, Alain Nasreddine and Ed Hatoum.