Michael Lindow
August 25, 2009.
Everythingleafs.com got a chance to sit down with Oshawa Generals Tristan Wazonek and discuss the Leafs 2009 first round draft pick Nazem Kadri.
Everythingleafs.com: Were you surprised that Kadri was selected 7th overall?
Tristan Wazonek: Not at all, Nazem Kadri is a very talented hockey player and has a ton of potential.
Everythingleafs.com: How far away is he from being a top six forward on the Leafs?
Tristan Wazonek: Not very far, if not this year, I see him making the Leafs by next season at the latest. He definitely has the potential to crack the Leafs line-up this upcoming season, but will need to bulk up a bit in order to do so. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him start the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but whether or not he finishes the season with them remains to be seen.
Everythingleafs.com: How do you think he will handle the spotlight in Toronto?
Tristan Wazonek: I personally think he will be fine. He was the face of one of the best well-known hockey teams in the OHL, the London Knights and handled the pressure with relative ease.
Everythingleafs.com: GM Brian Burke says Kadri “is not ready” but do you think he can step into the 2009-2010 Leafs lineup straight from junior as Luke Schenn did last year??
Tristan Wazonek: As I stated above, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kadri on the Leafs roster come opening day, but I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Burke send him back to the London Knights if he feels that he isn’t ready just yet. He needs to bulk up a bit, and if he does this, he could very well be playing for the Maple Leafs this season.
Everythingleafs.com: Can you compare him to an NHL player??
Tristan Wazonek: I would compare Nazem Kadri to the likes of Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins. Like Savard, Kadri has incredible offense abilities, and unbelievable vision. He see’s the ice very well, and has remarkable play-making abilities.
Everythingleafs.com: What are his biggest strengths and weaknesses that you saw with the Generals??
Tristan Wazonek: Kadri’s strengths include the ability to read the ice, has a quick shot and great stick handling skills. His ability to find the open man is incredible. He is also considered to be a clutch playoff performer. Some scouts considered a weakness of his to be his toughness, but considering he only missed seventeen games after sustaining a broken jaw, he has proved some critics wrong.
Everythingleafs.com: How important was it to have Dale Hunter and Pete Deboer as coaches in junior in turning him into a NHL player??
Tristan Wazonek: Having Dale Hunter and Pete Deboer as coaches in junior can never be a bad thing. Both guys are well known and well liked amongst players in the Ontario Hockey League. They don’t put up with any garbage, which definitely helped prepare him for the jump to the NHL.
Everythingleafs.com: Kadri bounced back from the broken jaw last year which many people thought cost him a spot on the National Junior Team. Do you think is he does not stick with Toronto he will be on this year’s squad?
Tristan Wazonek: There’s no question in my mind that if Kadri does not stick with the Leafs this year, he will be on this years squad, helping Canada capture their seventh consecutive gold medal.
Everythingleafs.com: There have been questions regarding Kadri’s attitude, is this a concern??
Tristan Wazonek: There have been concerns about Kadri having a poor attitude, but I personally believe that the media hyped it up. He’s young, and he’s talented. He has stated that he will be on the Leafs roster this season, which to me is a good attitude. He has shown he is committed to making the team this year as he has been hitting the gym on a regular basis and has bulked up a bit.
Everythingleafs.com: The media seemed to jump all over his religious beliefs when he went without a hat when on the stage after being drafted (it is Burkes policy not to have any of his players wear hats) this brings up an interesting subject. Being of a Muslim religious background is this going to have any effect on his game play (fasting, conflict in the dressing room, etc.)?
Tristan Wazonek: I don’t think his religious background is going to have any effect on his game play. This is a kid who has played at the highest level a kid can play at in Canada for the last three years and has proven that he is a talented player. If it hasn’t affected his game in the OHL, it shouldn’t affect his game in the NHL.
About Tristan Wazonek
Attended Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario, taking Sports Management.
He first started working for the Oshawa Generals during the 2006/2007 season in their Game Day Operations department as a volunteer. He is currently not listed as a scout by the team however he have accompanied a few of the team scouts at numerous games, including other OHL games and minor league games and was asked to help out.
He just returned from the Ottawa/Gatineau area scouting for the Generals.
He first started working for the Oshawa Generals during the 2006/2007 season in their Game Day Operations department as a volunteer. He is currently not listed as a scout by the team however he have accompanied a few of the team scouts at numerous games, including other OHL games and minor league games and was asked to help out.
He just returned from the Ottawa/Gatineau area scouting for the Generals.
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