Leo Komarov

Leonid Aleksandrovich Komarov (Russian: Леонид Александрович Комаров, Leonid Aleksandrovich Komarov; born 23 January 1987) is a Finnish–Russian professional ice hockey centre for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). A natural centre early in his career, Komarov has made the transition to being able to play all three forward positions.

Leo Komarov
Komarov in 2012
Born (1987-01-23) 23 January 1987
Narva, Estonian SSR, Soviet Union
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 New York Islanders
Ässät
Pelicans
Dynamo Moscow
Toronto Maple Leafs
National team  Finland
NHL Draft 180th overall, 2006
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 2005–present

Raised in Finland, Komarov is the first Estonian-born player in the NHL.[1] Komarov was a member of the gold medal-winning Finnish national team in the 2011 IIHF World Championship.

Playing career

After playing with different junior teams, Komarov began his professional career in the Finnish SM-liiga with Ässät. After winning a silver medal with Ässät in 2006, he moved to Pelicans. After his season with Ässät, he was chosen in the sixth round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, 180th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Komarov captained Finland at the 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Leksand and Mora, Sweden.

During the 2009–10 season, Komarov played with Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Komarov won a gold medal with Finland at the 2011 IIHF World Championships in Bratislava and Košice, Slovakia.

Leo Komarov screens Ján Lašák during a KHL game in 2011.
Leo Komarov with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs.

In May 2012, Komarov agreed to a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 2012–13 season.[2] The reported value of his contract was $1.2 million, including bonuses.[3] He played his first career NHL game on 19 January 2013, and he scored his first NHL goal (a game winner) against the Montreal Canadiens on 9 February 2013.[4]

After one season with the Maple Leafs, Komarov left the NHL to sign a one-year contract to return with Dynamo Moscow in June 2013, with the ambition to make the Finnish 2014 Winter Olympic squad in a more offensive role with Dynamo; he made the roster, also serving as an alternate captain.

Despite signing with Dynamo Moscow, Komarov said he was not done with the NHL, and one year later, on 1 July 2014, he signed a four-year deal worth $2.9 million per season to return to the Maple Leafs.[5] Komarov played well following the signing, recording 4 goals and 16 assists in his first 23 games of the season, as well as 99 hits, enough for third in the NHL as of late November.[6] However, a blindside hit from former Dynamo Moscow linemate Alexander Ovechkin on 29 November left Komarov with concussion issues, and he would score at a lackluster pace for the rest of the season.[6]

Komarov would rebound the next season and excel under new head coach Mike Babcock. Komarov, who previously played on Toronto's second, third lines and fourth lines, was now experiencing top line duties (taking Phil Kessel's spot), and occasionally reprising his role on the second. He led the Maple Leafs in goals and points up to the Christmas break. Shortly after, he was named to the 2016 NHL All-Star Game on 6 January 2016.[7] Komarov had 27 points in 37 games when named an All-Star, including 15 goals, and was one point behind teammate James van Riemsdyk for the team lead in scoring.[8] Given Komarov's reputation and traditional NHL role as a bottom six grinder, he had not expected to be named an All Star, going as far as to book a vacation during the All-Star break, which was cancelled after he had been named to the festivities.[8] Komarov's production declined in the latter half of the season, partially due to the loss of van Riemsdyk in January to injury. Despite this, Komarov finished the year third in team scoring with 36 points, behind only P. A. Parenteau and Nazem Kadri. The following season, he shared a line with Kadri and rookie winger Connor Brown. In 2017, Komarov played in the NHL Centennial Classic where he scored one goal in Toronto's 5–4 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings. In 2018, Komarov played in the 2018 NHL Stadium Series against the Washington Capitals, where the Leafs lost 2–5.

On 1 July 2018, Komarov signed a four-year contract with the New York Islanders.[9]

Personal life

Komarov was born in Narva, then part of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union, to Russian parents.[10] When he was five years old, Komarov's family moved to the Swedish-speaking town of Nykarleby, Finland, when his father Alexander Komarov accepted a contract to play ice hockey there.[11][12] Because his father was of Ingrian Finnish descent,[13] the family was able to permanently reside there.[14] Leo Komarov also holds dual Russian–Finnish citizenship[15] and can speak four languages (Swedish, Finnish, Russian and English).[16]

Komarov is married to Juulia Manner. The pair tied the knot on 2 July 2016 in Suomenlinna part of Helsinki, Finland, after dating for ten years.[17] Among the guests were then Maple Leafs teammates Nazem Kadri, Michael Grabner and Richard Clune.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2002–03 Hermes FIN U16 14 7 12 19 8 — — — — —
2003–04 Sport FIN U18 19 6 9 15 6 — — — — —
2004–05 Ässät FIN U18 9 4 5 9 62 — — — — —
2004–05 Ässät FIN U20 34 6 5 11 59 — — — — —
2005–06 Ässät FIN U20 10 5 6 11 59 — — — — —
2005–06 Ässät SM-l 44 3 3 6 106 14 1 3 4 22
2006–07 Pelicans SM-l 49 3 9 12 108 6 1 0 1 6
2007–08 Pelicans FIN U20 2 0 3 3 0 — — — — —
2007–08 Pelicans SM-l 53 4 10 14 76 6 1 1 2 8
2008–09 Pelicans SM-l 56 8 16 24 144 10 0 1 1 16
2009–10 Dynamo Moscow KHL 47 5 11 16 44 4 0 1 1 16
2010–11 Dynamo Moscow KHL 52 14 12 26 70 6 4 2 6 2
2011–12 Dynamo Moscow KHL 46 11 13 24 58 20 5 2 7 49
2012–13 Toronto Marlies AHL 14 6 3 9 22 — — — — —
2012–13 Dynamo Moscow KHL 13 2 8 10 42 — — — — —
2012–13 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 42 4 5 9 18 7 0 0 0 17
2013–14 Dynamo Moscow KHL 52 12 22 34 42 7 3 1 4 22
2014–15 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 62 8 18 26 18 — — — — —
2015–16 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 67 19 17 36 40 — — — — —
2016–17 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 82 14 18 32 31 6 0 1 1 2
2017–18 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 74 7 12 19 31 2 0 0 0 0
2018–19 New York Islanders NHL 82 6 20 26 42 8 1 1 2 8
2019–20 New York Islanders NHL 48 4 10 14 10 17 1 2 3 2
Liiga totals 202 18 38 56 434 36 3 5 8 52
KHL totals 210 44 66 110 256 37 12 6 18 89
NHL totals 457 62 100 162 190 40 2 4 6 29

International

Medal record
Representing  Finland
Ice hockey
Olympic Games
2014 Sochi
World Championships
2011 Slovakia
2014 Belarus
2016 Russia
World Junior Championships
2006 Canada
Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2006 Finland WJC 7 0 3 3 32
2007 Finland WJC 6th 6 2 1 3 16
2009 Finland WC 5th 5 0 1 1 4
2010 Finland WC 6th 7 1 0 1 0
2011 Finland WC 8 0 2 2 2
2012 Finland WC 4th 10 1 0 1 4
2014 Finland OG 6 0 0 0 0
2014 Finland WC 10 1 2 3 6
2015 Finland WC 6th 7 2 1 3 29
2016 Finland WC 10 3 4 7 8
2016 Finland WCH 8th 3 0 1 1 2
Junior totals 13 2 4 6 48
Senior totals 66 8 11 19 55

All-Star Game
Year Location   GP G A Pts
2016 Nashville 2011
All-Star totals 2011

Awards and honours

References
  1. Johnston, Chris. "Johnston on Leafs: Holzer making most of chance". Sportsnet. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  2. "NHL kutsuu Leo Komarovia" (in Finnish). MTV3fi. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  3. "Leo Komarov". capgeek.com. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  4. "Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens – 09/02/2013 – Toronto Maple Leafs – Boxscore". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  5. "Leafs sign Robidas; Welcome back Frattin, Komarov". The Sports Network. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  6. "Leafs' Komarov misses practice after Ovie hit". Roger's Sportsnet. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  7. "NHL announces full rosters for '16 NHL All-Star Game". National Hockey League. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  8. "Maple Leafs' Leo Komarov named an NHL all-star". Toronto Sun. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  9. "Komarov Agrees to Terms on a Four-Year Contract". NHL.com. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  10. Feschuk, Dave (16 January 2013). "Komarov a compelling prospect for Leafs: Feschuk". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  11. Комаров Леонид Александрович (in Russian). HC Dynamo. Archived from the original on 11 August 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  12. "Leo Komarov". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  13. Mirtle, James (11 November 2014). "Meet Leo Komarov, the Leafs' international man of mystery". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  14. "архив газеты "Молодежь Эстонии" (Narvityanin on the way to the NHL)" (in Russian). Молодежь Эстонии. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  15. "Leo Komarovin huima pesti KHL:ään varmistui – Jääkiekko – Ilta-Sanomat" (in Finnish). iltasanomat.fi. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  16. Johnston, Chris (7 May 2012). "Maple Leafs 'dynamic' prospect Leo Komarov hopes to make the jump from KHL". The Star. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  17. Ari, Yanover (3 July 2016). "Leo Komarov is married!". Retrieved 3 July 2016.
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