The cockiness is gone.

In its place, there is now something more humble in Nazem Kadri’s tone, something more accepting that not only are there players more talented than he in the bigs, but many with more experience and knowledge.

Kadri, it seems, has arrived for his latest NHL audition determined to soak up what he can and do what he’s told, rather than show what he can do.

And there’s a difference.

“You’re starting to see what the future might be with him,” said approving Leafs head coach Ron Wilson after Kadri’s two-assist effort in a desperately needed 4-3 triumph over Buffalo on Tuesday night.

Captain Dion Phaneuf wasn’t much interested in talking about those two helpers or the flash Kadri displayed at various times on the evening.

“I’m liking the things I’m seeing that most people don’t see,” said Phaneuf.

“I see him chipping the puck out and battling along the boards. That’s what I notice. Ever since he came back, I’ve noticed his maturity on and off the ice. He’s showing he learned a lot (in the minors). It’s not just the offensive stuff he’s doing well.”The basic professionalism Phaneuf was pointing to was more noticeable against the Sabres than in any of the other games Kadri has played with the parent club over the past two seasons. It’s as though something has clicked, as though he not only understands the NHL game better, but that it’s slowing down for him and allowing him to find more room to display his skills.

“I’m trying to have my stick in the proper lanes, my feet in the proper position, my head on a swivel,” said Kadri. “My decision-making has been getting a lot better.”

Not perfect, mind you. There was that attempted drag move in the second period that saw Sabres forward Thomas Vanek pilfer the puck and nearly score on a 2-on-1 at the other end.

“Obviously, that was a bit of a stupid play on my part,” said Kadri. “I got a little carried away.”

That said, his assists were both different, and showed his versatility. He swooped out of the corner in the first period and took the puck hard to the blue paint, allowing Darryl Boyce to chip the puck over a prostrate Ryan Miller in the Buffalo net.

The really pretty one came in the second when he accepted a puck with speed at the Buffalo blueline, tore into the heart of the visitors’ defence then found goal-starved Clarke MacArthur over his right shoulder with a clever diagonal pass, and MacArthur drove home only his second goal in 15 games.

We’ll see, of course, if this lasts or if, like many youngsters, Kadri will progress, then regress, then progress again. Maybe having another highly touted centre in the system now in Joe Colborne has put a little giddy-up in Kadri’s step. Indeed, had Colborne been non-concussed when Colby Armstrong went down, he might have got the call from the Marlies instead of Kadri.

Playing Kadri with two wingers, Joey Crabb and Boyce, who have followed a much more arduous road to the NHL may also have Kadri better understanding that consistency, attention to detail and reliability go a long, long way in the world’s best league.

The Leafs, of course, are still trying to make the playoffs, but the vital information gathered in these final two weeks will contribute to the delicate decisions that lie ahead for Brian Burke and his front office this summer. Their evaluations of Kadri will help determine how aggressively they want to pursue a veteran point-getter up the middle just as the play of James Reimer in net will influence whether a veteran goalie is acquired via trade or free agency.

Not all the answers will come from personnel; this is a club that still needs to forge a consistent identity, and the team stats — goals for, goals against, power play, penalty killing — are all still in the bottom third of the league. Burke and Co. need to determine if tweaking Wilson’s staff while still bringing him back as head coach could be something that’s needed.

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There’s good and bad to be seen with this hockey club every night with five regular-season games left, and the excitement of the late-season push has obscured some of the glaring shortcomings.

But the kids are clearly all learning, Kadri among them. The cockiness has been replaced by humble determination, at least for now. Maybe for good.

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