The Toronto Maple Leafs had a blueprint for sustained success, built around having three of the league’s top centers in Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and Nazem Kadri anchoring their lineup.

However, this plan was derailed by the shocking immaturity of one player. Nazem Kadri was suspended in consecutive playoff series against the Bruins, missing Game 7 in both instances, which ultimately contributed to the Leafs’ losses.

This issue has resurfaced in the news recently due to Nazem Kadri releasing a book, which is surprising since most players wait until after retirement to do so.

However, revisiting this now only worsens Kadri’s situation—he probably should have waited to publish the book until after the Leafs won the Cup he helped deny them.

Kadri is arguably the single most responsible player for the Leafs’ playoff failures during his time in Toronto.

Kadri and John Tavares only played together for one season before Kadri forced his departure with his disruptive behavior. You could argue that the suspension call against him was questionable, or that the Leafs are unfairly scrutinized by the NHL’s Player Safety Department, but the reality is Kadri was suspended for two consecutive Game 7s and three playoff series overall. With six suspensions in his career, he is among the dirtiest players in the league, ranking behind only Brad Marchand and Chris Pronger. It’s tough to give him the benefit of the doubt with a straight face.

Moreover, there’s no other team in the major sports leagues that would retain a player who was suspended during back-to-back Game 7 losses. Yes, the Leafs should have traded Kadri, but they *shouldn’t* have needed to. That ultimately falls on Kadri for creating the situation.

You can argue about the trade return or blame executives like Shanahan, Lamoriello, Dubas, or the coaches, but Kadri deserves the bulk of the blame for the Leafs’ lack of playoff success during the Auston Matthews era.

Firstly, the Leafs likely would have beaten Boston in at least one of the two Game 7s Kadri missed.

Secondly, a center depth of Matthews, Tavares, and Kadri would have been elite. The Leafs never found a suitable third-line center after Kadri’s departure—aside from a brief period with Ryan O’Reilly. Had Kadri remained, the Leafs would have been far better off, especially considering his incredibly team-friendly deal in Colorado.

Kadri’s affordable contract also helped reduce the cap hit for Toronto’s other star players, which is often forgotten in the criticism about the Leafs’ Core Four.

It’s also been pointed out time and again that the Leafs have lacked the kind of player Kadri was after his departure—someone with toughness, grit, and a reasonable contract. His absence left a void in the Leafs’ depth that has been felt ever since.

In hindsight, it’s clear that Kadri’s presence likely would have helped Toronto beat Montreal, Columbus, and possibly even Boston in the playoffs. Having won a Cup with Colorado, it’s plausible that, had he stayed, Kadri could have helped his hometown team win a Cup that was even more meaningful.

While the Leafs’ management has made numerous mistakes, no single player’s exit has had a more significant impact than Kadri’s. And the worst part is, he didn’t have to leave—he made it happen.