Contract Termination: Leo Komarov

[notDatsyuk]

Lou gives terrible contact

Isles play an AHLer for the past few seasons because of said contract.

Waive him because he is not an NHLer

Player doesn't want to play in AHL so signs back in KHL

Lou is a wizard

What???????

All of that is true, only if you believe that he was an AHL level player the whole time (as a rule, only Leafs fans do that, and they do it regularly with players they have lost), and only if you believe that his presence wasn't a sizeable contributing factor to their rapid turnaround.

If you believe either of those, you disagree with one of the best coaches in the league. I think I'll take his opinion over yours (nothing personal).

 

[Prairie Habs]

I wasn't pretending he didn't, but I'm not sure that losing a player because of inherited bad contracts is his mistake. And if he traded the player he least wanted, isn't that ok?

Isn't it a red flag though that the player he least wanted received Norris votes that same season while only making 4.1M? And that he traded him over a player like Leo (that he he himself signed) and then terminated only a year later?

 

[notDatsyuk]

Isn't it a red flag though that the player he least wanted received Norris votes that same season while only making 4.1M? And that he traded him over a player like Leo (that he he himself signed) and then terminated only a year later?

The season where they needed forwards and had lots of defence? Admittedly some of their D didn't develop as quickly as expected, and Towes did very well under a very different team structure.

 

[Stubu]

Don’t let the door hit your ass in the way out, Komarov

He kept declining and that contract became untenable.

But you also forget the time when he was one of the few consistent bright spots in the lineup, especially the 18-19 season when the dubious Filppula turned out surprisingly good too.

Just saying, Uncle Leo earned a better send-off than that one.

 

[Pure Slaughter Value]

Is this the first time a 2-time defending Conn Smythe award-winner's contract has been terminated.

Islanders really miss his piano-playing, multiple-language speaking, master of comedy personality on the road right now.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Which has been pointed out ad nauseam by posters with a need to advance their false narratives. Said posters often ignore the market at the time of trade and the return. Additionally ignored is the impact of the pandemic had on the league BACKTRACKING on its own cap projection for the first and only time ever.

But for arguments sake let’s just agree… Komarov was a bad signing that directly led to the loss of Toews. I personally disagree with the sequence of events but still…

That would still be the only possible legitimate criticism that anyone can stick on Lou as an Islander GM. And somehow that gets as much weight against him as the following is ignored:

Signing Sorokin and Varlamov over Lehner

Signing Nelson, Pulock, Pelech long term

Signing Barzal and Pulock to bridge deals

Retaining the fourth line at a lower cost

Trading for Pageau, signing Pageau

Trading for Palmieri, signing Palmieri

Drafting Wahlstrom and Dobson

Advancing further in the playoffs then any GM since 1993

Creating cap space while maintaining a competitive team

Twice elected GM of the year by his colleagues

This list doesn't exactly scream unique for an NHL GM.

I am curious why the player sacrificed the salary to help NYI... there has to be more to it. He could easily finish the contract in the AHL and then played in the KHL instead of flushing money to help his former team.

 

[McSuper]

Would the NYI have any interest in trading Varlamov ? If so what would the ask be ?

 

[CupInSIX]

Lou gives terrible contact

Isles play an AHLer for the past few seasons because of said contract.

Waive him because he is not an NHLer

Player doesn't want to play in AHL so signs back in KHL

Lou is a wizard

What???????

If he was so bad the past 2 playoff runs, why did Trotz play him every game last postseason?

I have to say, for a team that made the conference finals 2 years in a row because of their depth & defense, these criticisms of their cap management re: depth players & defense seem kind of weak. They had enough cap to add players at the TDL, and Lou will no doubt do it again this year.

 

[notDatsyuk]

This list doesn't exactly scream unique for an NHL GM.

I am curious why the player sacrificed the salary to help NYI... there has to be more to it. He could easily finish the contract in the AHL and then played in the KHL instead of flushing money to help his former team.

He's only got about $1.5M owing, and if he gets even $1M from the KHL, that means he's only giving up $500K to get to play hockey in a top league instead of the AHL (or, as he was, sitting in NY), and be close to home.

It's possible that he had an understanding with Lou when he signed that $12M contract.

Maybe he's genuinely thankful for his time on the island, and is returning the favour.

Maybe he feels guilty for stealing all that money, and his conscience is bothering him.

He's made over $20M just in North America. If he's smart, and he certainly seems to be, he doesn't need that extra $500K.

 

[Lua]

i wanna aks why ya dinna make it out to be on poirpuss

(seriously, people who speak old newyorkese say 'expresso')

anyway, good luck leo. didn't love the speed, but i loved the happy warrior bit.

I think Lou actually said, 'Expresso'

I work in audiobooks and I am pleased to inform you that Merriam-Webster considers "expresso" a valid pronunciation of espresso.

Definition of ESPRESSO

 

[Necrobutcher]

Would the NYI have any interest in trading Varlamov ? If so what would the ask be ?

A lot.

 

[PromisedLand]

Lou: Leo, thank you for the services but we don't have a spot for you on the roster anymore
Leo: That's fine Lou. I'll go back home just need to get paid what's owed to me
Lou: I am a nice guy. I value your choice. Your choice will be respected. Here is the bullet or mutual termination. I shall abide by whatever you choose

Breaking News:
Twitter: Leo will be returning to SKA after mutual contract termination agreed upon by both parties. There were no hard feelings.

HF:
Isles Fans: Lou is a BOSS
Leafs Fans: but but but....
Other Fans: Lou can't keep getting away with this... OR Lou gonna win GM of the year again

MORAL OF THE STORY
Don Lou gets it done by hook or by crook

 

[tellermine]

Lou: Leo, thank you for the services but we don't have a spot for you on the roster anymore
Leo: That's fine Lou. I'll go back home just need to get paid what's owed to me
Lou: I am a nice guy. I value your choice. Your choice will be respected. Here is the bullet or mutual termination. I shall abide by whatever you choose

Breaking News:
Twitter: Leo will be returning to SKA after mutual contract termination agreed upon by both parties. There were no hard feelings.

HF:
Isles Fans: Lou is a BOSS
Leafs Fans: but but but....
Other Fans: Lou can't keep getting away with this... OR Lou gonna win GM of the year again

MORAL OF THE STORY
Don Lou gets it done by hook or by crook

Well his home is not Russia though.

 

[PromisedLand]

Well his home is not Russia though.

that's the hidden story. Leo will pretend to go and play in Russia for a couple years

 

[Icejoker]

If he was so bad the past 2 playoff runs, why did Trotz play him every game last postseason?

I have to say, for a team that made the conference finals 2 years in a row because of their depth & defense, these criticisms of their cap management re: depth players & defense seem kind of weak. They had enough cap to add players at the TDL, and Lou will no doubt do it again this year.

The weird thing was he started on first line 18 of 19 games in last PO , he dont play on first line but he started ,the game Trotz switch him with Palmieri they lost 8-0.

 

[McSuper]

A lot.

Ok . I thought with the lack of cap plus Sorokin play he would be on the block sooner or later .

 

[denis5]

Isn't it a red flag though that the player he least wanted received Norris votes that same season while only making 4.1M? And that he traded him over a player like Leo (that he he himself signed) and then terminated only a year later?

Toews was going to be lost, one way or another, at the end of the season. Either for nothing to Seattle, or for a similar return to what he got. Five D to protect, only 3 slots. Everyone paying attention knew that the Isles absolutely had to jettison a D with salary that year, and two before the expansion draft happened. We all thought Leddy would be the first to go (and that eventually happened as well), but they did this instead. It didn't matter, thanks to the expansion draft both were probably goners at one point or another. At the end of the day, Leo being on the roster had really very little impact, at least compared to the expansion draft.

 

[denis5]

Ok . I thought with the lack of cap plus Sorokin play he would be on the block sooner or later .

The Boychuk "trade" and Leo's termination ended any cap issues for the Islanders.

 

[Gaud]

...but once you've drank it, it would become an expresso

Well played haha

 

[Chardo]

Would the NYI have any interest in trading Varlamov ? If so what would the ask be ?

He is likely to be traded, but probably not until the offseason. The ask will be a 2nd, plus maybe another pick.

 

[SI90]

Would the NYI have any interest in trading Varlamov ? If so what would the ask be ?

personally, I wouldn’t want to because if Sorokin went down we would be screwed. We now have 2 legit #1 starters.

that being said, if a deal could be made that would really help the isles I wouldn’t be against. I do think you could be potentially shooting your self in the foot though if you trade varly.

 

[McSuper]

He is likely to be traded, but probably not until the offseason. The ask will be a 2nd, plus maybe another pick.

Seems fair enough . I guess I will bring it back up in the of season .

 

[Oddbob]

I always liked the way Komarov played.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Well his home is not Russia though.

He'll be less than 100 miles (160 km) from Narva, where he was born, and about 300 miles (500 km) from Nykarleby, where he grew up.

Better than the over 4,200 miles (6,800 km) from New York.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Ok . I thought with the lack of cap plus Sorokin play he would be on the block sooner or later .

By the trade deadline they'll have about 10M in cap space, assumimg nothing changes.