3 Games Enough for Kadri?

Nazem Kadri isn't going to be in the Maple Leafs system for the next couple of games. The center received a match penalty for a questionable hit on Wednesday night's game against the Wild. And now he has received a three-game suspension for that first hit on Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom.

Disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan noted in his video that collisions with goalies happen in games when they drive to the hit to score, but said that Kadri's hit was a reckless one.

He said, "This is not a glancing blow. It' is a direct and forceful blow to the head by Kadri's forearm that causes a serious injury."

Backstrom was replaced by Josh Harding and did not return to the game. After the game, the team said that Backstrom had an upper-body injury.

This isn't the first time a player injured a goalie on a reckless play. Two season ago, Shanahan gave Jordin Tootoo a two-game suspension for running into Sabres goalie Ryan Miller.

This suspension is likely to hurt the Maple Leafs for the next three games. The problem is they're already without centers Tyler Bozak and Dave Bolland because of their respective injuries. It's three games but a lot can happen in three games and I don't know if the Maple Leafs can withstand this, plus the two injuries to their respective centers.

In terms of the suspension, it was enough. The head is the main target. Obviously, in my view, you have to sit a few games for that. And this was a phone hearing, so it shouldn't have exceeded three games. So, the suspension was true and the Maple Leafs will have a lot of working around to do for the next three games, as well as the games in which Bolland and Bozak will still be out.