hey, @Senators, guess who back? #yousuck
— Corporal Komarov (@CorporalKomarov) July 1, 2014
Leo Komarov spent last season with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL ( 52GP, 12G, 22A, 34Pts) much to the shegrin of Leafs nation Komarov was not re-signed after the lockout shortened campaign of 2013/14 which of course saw the Leafs make the playoffs for the first time in 8 seasons. Komarov was a pivotal piece of the Leafs roster that season, in terms of energy and what he brought to the club. Many factors contribted to the dismal results of last season for the Leafs, perhaps one of the most impactful was the loss of Leo Komarov.Since returning to the Leafs this season Komarov has been lights out (15GP, 1G, 9A, 10 Pts, 176 Hits) he has not only seen great results in his individual play, he has elevated the play of those around him, mainly David Clarkson. Clarkson is off to a solid start in his second stint with the buds (15GP, 4G, 1A, 5Pts) now, of course last seasons numbers will not be hard to beat, however Clarkson deserves credit not only for the points he has manageed to put up, but watching him on the ice this season he looks far more comfortable and is adapting well to his 3rd line role. A good portion of the credit must go to uncle Leo, he has effectively removed pressure off of Clarkson's shoulders and allowed him to play a mroe relaxed game. Both Clarkson (48.51) and Komarov (46.03) have pretty solid corsi stats which is key for a role playing line, and also something the Leafs lacked desperately last season .Komarov was (unfairly) labelled a "third line plug" which created the narrative of "if the Leafs losing Komarov has that much of an impact, this team is in trouble" a statement that so far, Komarov is causing those who subscribe to that theory to very much eat their words.
Saturday November 8th, the Leafs played host to the Rangers, and more importantly, Leo Komarov showed us all exaclty what he is capabale of and why the Leafs never should have let him go in the first place, also providing the internet with one of the cutest pictures ever. at 15:11 of the first period on a shorthanded opportunity, Komarov came down the right wing with Matts Zucccarello draped over him like a wet blanket, proceeded to dump Zuccarello off like a high school girlfriend, drop a glove just for fun, then dish it off to Peter Holland in front of the net for his 2nd goal of the season. Uncle Leo wasn't quite finished there, he ended up scoring the game winner with 5:34 remaining in the 3rd period, and if a goal and assist aren't enough to prove his worth, cap it all off with 8 hits. Komarov's inspiring performance had the crowd chanting "LEO, LEO, LEO" for a large portion of the 3rd period and even following the final horn.To have a player on your team that can elevate the play of the guys around him is a special thing. To have a player who can; score, hit, make plays and energize the entire roster is that much more unique. The Toronto Maple Leafs have one heck of a "third line plug" in Leo Komarov, and for those who annointed him with that underwhelming title, I am enjoying watching this man prove you all wrong. Leo Komarov is more than just a player who goes out and hits people (something he does extremely well) he is a skilled player that the Leafs are lucky to have, and we as fans are lucky to be able to watch on a nightly basis. So, let's all raise a glass, here's to uncle Leo, the family member the other 29 NHL teams wish they had.
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