Nazem Kadri thought his 'sternum collapsed' after hit attempt on Dustin Byfuglien

Nazem Kadri learned an important lesson in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Be careful when you hit 6-foot-5, 260-pound Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien.

Kadri who stands 6-foot, 188 pounds tried to make a statement on Byfuglien with a bodycheck. And Kadri just bounced off the hulking defenseman.

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Said Kadri after the game according to TSN's Mark Masters, “On that hit I threw on Byfuglien I thought my sternum collapsed.”

So far it has been a tough year for Kadri – his first with new coach Mike Babcock. He has just one goal and five assists in 12 games played.

"I mean, it's a bit ridiculous at this point,” Kadri said after the game about his slump per Masters. “I mean, you'd think you'd get some puck luck here or there."

Kadri is making $4.1 million on a one-year contract. He’s slated to be a restricted free agent in the summer.

In Babcock’s first year in Toronto, the Leafs are 2-7-2.

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper

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