Even in meaningless games, Calgary Flames’ Nazem Kadri still playing with pride

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Earlier in the day Nazem Kadri spoke of the importance of playing with pride when your team is playing out the string.

Then he went out and showed what that looked like.

A goal, an assist and a hellacious hit in the opening period Saturday night set the tone for a young team that will rely heavily on veteran leadership like his moving forward.

While Blake Coleman’s 29^th was the game-winner, Kadri was the driving force in a 4-2 win over L.A. that ended the club’s (latest) five-game losing skid.

Don’t tell Kadri these are meaningless games.

“We were coming off a losing skid and we made an emphasis to start well and I felt like I tried to lead the way as best as possible,” said Kadri, whose club staved off inevitable playoff elimination with the win.

“It’s not going to change the way I play, I’m going to approach every game the same way.”

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His 24^th of the season, one of a shocking, season-high three power play markers for the Flames, matched his season total from a year ago.

And there’s still nine games left.

His tenacious forecheck alongside Martin Pospisil led to Pospisil’s first-period marker, and his blast on Mikey Anderson lifted the crowd and the bench at a time the playoff-less team needed every bit of encouragement and momentum possible.

All this at the tail end of a disappointing season in which a handful of Flames veterans were traded away as part of a retool Kadri couldn’t have envisioned when he signed a seven-year, $49 million contract two summers back.

Through it all he’s conducted himself like a true pro.

At a time it’s only natural to wonder if the 33-year-old centre is still keen on remaining with a rebuilding club, it sure looks like he’s embracing his augmented leadership role.

He’s been a driving force behind the rise of Pospisil and Connor Zary this season, offering endless advice and encouragement for the two youngsters who he centred from the night they made their NHL debuts.

He’s spoken of how they’ve helped energize him too, which has been evident throughout a tough second half for the team that has seen his productivity remain.

Lately, he’s helped Andrei Kuzmenko find his giddyup.   

The playoff chase is over, but the professionalism remains.

“With Naz continuing to play the way he’s played for the majority of the year I think it sends a real strong message to everybody,” said Ryan Huska, who described the win as one of the team’s most complete efforts of the year.

“He was one of our best players. When Naz is at his best he drags people into the fight with him, whether it’s a hit or if he’s going to the net hard, or making a good play. And he seems to have found a little chemistry with Kuzy as well lately.”

The importance of players like Kadri, Coleman and Mikael Backlund shaping the culture and expectations of this revamped group moving into the future cannot be understated.

And all have performed admirably all season long, splitting the vote on who the team’s MVP amongst skaters has been.

MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson will also shoulder heavy loads, as they did Saturday with the former blocking seven shots and scoring his 18^th, and the latter blocking two painful blasts while also adding an assist courtesy of one of his four shots. 

Like so many wins this season, none of it would have been possible without Jacob Markstrom coming up big in the third, like he did Saturday.   

“I think it’s important, the mentality you have going into a hockey game,” said Kadri, who rang a backhander off the crossbar in the second period.

“Regardless of where you are in the standings, whether you’re in a playoff spot, or on the bubble, your approach shouldn’t change. 

“We’re obviously going to try to preach that to (the youngsters), you’ve got to continue to bring your best and have some pride.”

His 63 points on the season marks the second-best season of his career, behind only his 87-point outburst with the Cup-winning Avalanche.

It was in Colorado he earned a reputation as one of the game’s best second-line centres.

With the departure of Elias Lindholm two months ago, Kadri seems hellbent on proving he’s a No. 1 middleman.

And on a night when the Flames honoured the South Asian community, his ability to step up meant even more.

“It means a lot, of course, bringing diversity and inclusion into hockey,” said Kadri, whose grandparents are from Lebanon.

“This is another way to do that, using our platform, I think, is great.”

Kadri relished the celebration.

“What you see on the ice is what you see in the room as well,” said Huska of Kadri.

“Naz is a vocal guy. Over his career he’s learned how to tailor his message to certain people, that’s part of being a little older and maturing.  

“He’s got a good handle on whether guys need a push, or a kick… or a hug.”

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