Kadri ready to provide smart, physical play for Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock agreed that Kadri is most effective when he is playing aggressive.”That’s when he makes the biggest impact,” he said.This season, Kadri moved down to the No. 3 center role after John Tavares signed as a free agent with Toronto in the offseason. Auston Matthews (37), Tavares (47) and Kadri (16), the team’s top three centers, combined for 100 goals this season and will provide matchup issues for the Bruins if Babcock has his way.Kadri, who finished with 44 points after consecutive 32-goal seasons, said his diminished offense was an offshoot of his altered role from second line to third-line center.”I get it, and I welcome the role,” Kadri said. “I think I could have had at least 20 (goals). I’ve lost count of how many goalposts I’ve hit.”The only hits he’s focusing on now involves checks thrown at the Bruins.”Against teams that are a little more physical, I think that’s when I play my best hockey,” Kadri said. “I like to engage, whether it be physically or verbally or making a play. If you want to play a physical style, if you want to play skill style, I’m able to come out and work in both directions. It’s definitely a positive for sure.”I always embrace the challenge. I want to play against the best teams, the best players because I think myself and our team thrives on that. The way I see it, to get to our end result, our end goal, we have to go through the best teams.”Boston will certainly be that.