When it comes to dirty hits, most Bruins fans have been focused on Tom Wilson and to a lesser extent Garnet Hathaway, both of whom have landed one against Boston already this season and whom they are currently facing in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
But today we bring you news of another dirty player who has a history with the Bruins, and who is about to be suspended in the playoffs for the third time in the last four years.
Before Wilson, Nazem Kadri was public enemy No. 1 around these parts when he played for the Maple Leafs, as he was suspended in back-to-back first-round series between Boston and Toronto in 2018 and 2019.
In Game 1 of the 2018 series, Kadri drilled Tommy Wingels in the head while Wingels was down on his knees and in a vulnerable position up against the boards. That earned Kadri a three-game ban.
Almost exactly a year later, in Game 2 of the 2019 matchup, Kadri crosschecked Jake DeBrusk in the face after DeBrusk landed a hard but clean hit on Patrick Marleau. Kadri was suspended for the remainder of the series, which turned out to be five games as the Bruins went on to win in seven, with Kadri's absence proving costly for Toronto.
It is believed that Kadri's lack of discipline and tendency to hurt his team (not to mention opponents) at the most important time of the year is what prompted the Maple Leafs to trade him to Colorado after the 2019 season.
Well, Kadri has clearly still not learned his lesson, as he was at it again Wednesday night. During the third period of Game 2 of the Avalanche's series against the Blues, Kadri lined up St. Louis defenseman Justin Faulk in the slot and launched into his head with a vicious blindside hit that knocked Faulk out of the game and possibly longer with what is almost certainly a concussion.
Kadri was ejected from the game and will now be suspended for the third time in the last four postseasons, and the sixth time in his career total. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Thursday that it had offered him an in-person hearing, which almost always means the suspension will be at least five games.
The Avalanche, who hung on for the win Wednesday and now lead the Blues 2-0 in the series, should be able to finish off St. Louis without Kadri. But if his suspension lasts into or through the second round, Colorado could really miss him in a series against Vegas or Minnesota, who are both much better than the Blues.
Kadri is the Avs' No. 2 center and ranked fourth among their forwards in ice time this season and sixth on the team in scoring.