Two of Nazem Kadri’s favourite things are hockey and classic video games, so when he recently had the chance to combine those with another burgeoning hobby of his — collecting artwork — he jumped at the chance.



The Maple Leafs forward recently had a piece designed by 18-year-old artist Coby Katz.



The inspiration behind the painting is “deeper than that first glance,” said Katz. Kadri originally reached out to Katz via Instagram to share some of his ideas. After a week of research, Katz got to work. The final piece includes Super Mario Bros. characters Mario and Luigi on skates, surrounded by Kadri’s signature hockey equipment and headlines of some of his memorable moments. The painting also features images that reflect Kadri’s other interests, including a size 11 box of Jordan shoes.



“A bunch of those things that are incorporated in it are things I love,” said Kadri about the artwork, which will be...