Nazim Kadri says he's looking forward to being able to be a bit more laid back in Colorado than he was in Toronto. The former Maple Leaf sat down with Sportsnet for a an interview before Thursday night's tilt against the Avalanche, where he stated he'll miss the city of Toronto.
"But definitely that white noise… it's something I thought was normal, but it definitely isn't. It's a nice change of pace. Here (meaning Colorado) it's a lot different in terms of just a little more laid back and a few less distractions, so you can really focus on what you do on the ice.”
Kadri is presumably referring to the pressures of playing in Toronto, from both the media and fans who had seemingly run out of patience with his lack of discipline after a suspension during the playoff series against Boston last spring.
Even after nixing a trade to Calgary early in the summer, Kadri insists he never thought Toronto was shopping him. He says he was "bummed" when he was told he had been traded to the Avalanche, but quickly got over it.
“Yes, I was bummed out – I'd be lying to you if I told you I wasn't,” the London, Ont. native told Sportsnet. “I quickly turned the page. Obviously I have a lot of memories and a lot of things I'll never forget over there. They treated me well, but now my focus is playing with the Avalanche and doing whatever it takes to win. I really want to be here.”
Kadri says he has nothing against Calgary, and used his limited no-trade clause to reject the swap because he really wanted to stay in Toronto. He believes he made the right decision in the end. He adds it was strange watching his former team in their season opener Wednesday night, but says he's ready to contribute in Denver.
"It was a little bizarre not to be a part of it, but I'm part of something special here, so I'm excited about it.”
-
