Why do we all watch the game of hockey?

I’m assuming it’s primarily for entertainment and you enjoy how the sport looks.

Be it some pretty goals, sleek passes, or embarrassing an opposing defenseman – hockey can be a beautiful game to look at and be entertained by. But what fun is it if it’s a strictly offensive game that’s not as physical as it could be?

Sure, it would still be wildly entertaining. But not as entertaining as having a player on the team you cheer for play on the edge so much that he is practically floating off of it like Wile E. Coyote.

Laying questionably late hits, poking and prodding at every opposing player to get under their skin – we love it.

Nazem Kadri is that player for us, and he will be forever.

As fans, embracing the villain role is the best thing we can do right now and be content with the hockey world hating us as much as we hate them.

I’m not calling for opposing players to suffer serious injuries, but I would rather watch a game that’s fast and hard. Boring Los Angeles Kings-style of hockey can win you games, but I don’t care if I’m not entertained by the team I’m watching.

Kadri instills that hard style of game that every Leafs fan should love, and have loved for decades. The underdog pests in the past now have their numbers retired by the team – if that doesn’t speak volumes of how much we should love Kadri’s game, I don’t know what else can.

We want our players to play hard and not to hesitate laying any hit. So don’t lie to yourself saying that you didn’t love how he played in Game 1 against the Bruins on Thursday night.

Him running around like he had nothing to lose, we all loved it.

I will enjoy every other fan’s tears and cries for justice, but don’t be afraid to enjoy some physicality in the sport we love. Why do you think so many people first gravitated towards it initially? I can tell you it wasn’t a clean zone entry by a defenseman on the rush.

We all truly want a pest for other fanbases to hate; a player to soak up all the negativity while having back-to-back 30-goal seasons at the same time.

Why not just admit it, we naturally love violence and destruction.