The timing of this was really not good. As the John Tavares news conference to introduce him as the newest Toronto Maple Leaf was being aired in Canada, the ticker at the bottom of the screen announced that Leo Komarov had signed a four-year deal with the New York Islanders for $12 million.
Ugh. That’s unfortunate. If you felt a breeze coming from the Long Island area right around that time, that was the sound of the Islanders fan base having the wind knocked out of them.
Losing Tavares is blow, no doubt about it. But the Islanders will survive. They have some very good young talent, one of the best coaches in the NHL and were roundly applauded for having the best draft in the league just a week ago. It’s into this environment that Komarov, a 31-year-old character player who has eclectic tastes and a sharp wit, steps into in time for the 2018-19 season.
Komarov will not even come close to replacing Tavares from almost any standpoint, but he will add some sandpaper to a team that already has a lot of it. With Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck already in their lineup, you wouldn’t think the Islanders would require much more of what Komarov brings, but the Islanders have had some success playing those two players with another shift disturber in the past. Matt Martin had previously filled that role, but while Komarov isn’t near as physical as Martin, he can contribute in so many more ways.
First of all, he’s pretty versatile and he can move up and down the lineup. He can also play his agitating role without hurting his team by taking dumb penalties. He still skates pretty well and can contribute on the penalty kill. He is a streaky player and has been known to score in bunches, except for last season when he didn’t do much of anything offensively in a limited role.
The Islanders are obviously hoping that Komarov can recapture some of his offensive touch and return to the player who can score in the 15 range after scoring only seven last season. If he can do that and continue to be a thorn in the side of his opponents, the contract will look good. But if last year was the start of a sharp decline, this one could look ugly in a year or two.