Komarov - Leafs Most Interesting Man

[pmrules]

Has it been reported what his actual salary demands of the Leafs were?  How outlandish was it?

 

[Jalili]

But I also think given his track record, which was 48 reg. season and 7 playoff games, he wasn't being reasonable. 3rd/4th line guys who get paid in the the $2M range pay their dues before they get a raise.

Well, as I said above though, expecting the byzantine workings of the NHL's CBA to inform how every international player in the world looks at their value doesn't really work. I mean, we may look at the KHL as a minor league but Komarov did play there for five seasons and that is part of his track record.

I mean, if you look at soccer for instance. If a guy is a superstar in, say, the Brazilian league the big European clubs will look at that as a part of his track record or resume when it comes time to evaluating what they want to pay him/for him. Komarov is 26, remember, so while it's fair for the Leafs to handicap what his years of service in the KHL mean, it's just as fair for Komarov to think they mean something.

True, but it's hard to do a cross-league comparison because the standards are so different.

I think the team said to him you're not getting a raise without paying your dues in the organization first. I think he's proven his abilities in both leagues, but his service in the NHL was too short-lived for their liking.

 

[Kin]

True, but it's hard to do a cross-league comparison because the standards are so different.

I think the team said to him you're not getting a raise without paying your dues in the organization first. I think he's proven his abilities in both leagues, but his service in the NHL was too short-lived for their liking.

Oh yeah, I'm not criticizing the Leafs for their decision. I think Komarov has been a little underrated here(I think he combined the 3rd/4th line energy line thing with being an effective PKer which is not the easiest thing to find) but if he's the one guy who is exploiting his international value he very may well price himself out of where the Leafs would want to pay him.

 

[lamajama]

Has it been reported what his actual salary demands of the Leafs were?  How outlandish was it?

I read somewhere that he got around $2.5 mil tax free from the KHL - that's why he went back. Anyone would when you have an offer of around
$1-$1.5 IIRC from the Leafs.

 

[wnc096]

Has it been reported what his actual salary demands of the Leafs were?  How outlandish was it?

I read somewhere that he got around $2.5 mil tax free from the KHL - that's why he went back. Anyone would when you have an offer of around
$1-$1.5 IIRC from the Leafs.

True that...that is too good to pass up.  Can't blame the guy

 

[Highlander]

Komarov for Prime Minister..beats the hell out of Pinocchio and hell he could play hockey for Loafs while not sleeping on the Hill in question period.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Leo appears like he's all about the cash, which I don't begrudge, but he needs to comprehend how things work in the NHL. He may be an older rookie, but you have to pay your dues in a league, not just jump in and out when the cash is what you want.

It would definitely be interesting to hear what he thinks he's worth in the NHL, because I'm pretty sure he's in dream land.

Saying that, I thought he was perfect for our team and we'll miss the element he brings this season.

 

[KoHo]

Perhaps if Komarov didn't leave we wouldn't have made a very ill-advised decision and hand over 5.25 M per year to a player who will essentially end up being his replacement.

 

[Champ Kind]

Perhaps if Komarov didn't leave we wouldn't have made a very ill-advised decision and hand over 5.25 M per year to a player who will essentially end up being his replacement.

I can assure you that the Komarov situation had zero bearing on their decision to sign Clarkson.

 

[Bullfrog]

He may be an older rookie, but you have to pay your dues in a league, not just jump in and out when the cash is what you want.

Why do you have to pay your dues? If you're talented, you'll get paid. It's simply a dispute over how valuable he is to the team. And why can't he just jump in and out and follow the cash?

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

He may be an older rookie, but you have to pay your dues in a league, not just jump in and out when the cash is what you want.

Why do you have to pay your dues? If you're talented, you'll get paid. It's simply a dispute over how valuable he is to the team. And why can't he just jump in and out and follow the cash?

I'm thinking he didn't see himself as a 3rd or 4th line player, more like a top 6 player and wanted to be paid and played as such. 

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Why do you have to pay your dues? If you're talented, you'll get paid. It's simply a dispute over how valuable he is to the team. And why can't he just jump in and out and follow the cash?

I never meant he can't do what he's doing, as far as CBA or rules. I always got the feeling that it was one of those unwritten "rules", like a good friend going after your ex-girlfriend. Other players that have worked their way up the ranks in a league see him doing things like this and don't respect it. Maybe it's not a popular opinion, but I like to see players earn what they get. It's the same reason I'm not in favour of Kadri getting the big dough yet, even though his talent and stats last season may make it seem like he should or will. Hey, maybe Kadri will go to the KHL too when the Leafs don't fork out the cash.

I would have preferred that Leo accept that he's an RFA. He could have stayed here, proved that he could repeat and improve, but he's not stupid, he knows he'll get more money in a lesser league. When money is your main driving force for playing hockey, the KHL is where it's at I guess.

Maybe the Leafs told him they weren't interested, but I would find it hard to believe that the Leafs wouldn't have offered to keep him in his role with a small raise. He said he wants to play in the NHL though, so that bugged me a bit I guess. It's not like he had all that long to wait to test the UFA market anyway, it's clear that money is boss. The NHLPA doesn't seem to enter his mind at all.

I'm leaning towards Leo being a bit delusional about his talent also (against peers in the NHL), which of course he's more than entitled to do, best of luck to him. But it's too bad that he won't be doing exactly what he was doing last year for us again this season.

 

[KoHo]

Perhaps if Komarov didn't leave we wouldn't have made a very ill-advised decision and hand over 5.25 M per year to a player who will essentially end up being his replacement.

I can assure you that the Komarov situation had zero bearing on their decision to sign Clarkson.

I know, just wishful thinking on my part. 6 weeks later and I'm still angry about the Clarkson signing.

 

[Kin]

I would have preferred that Leo accept that he's an RFA.

Except as mentioned that's an entirely artificial concept. The fact that the NHL has decided to bargain that situation into being doesn't change the realities of what hockey players are worth. If Sidney Crosby was 22 and available to sign wherever he wanted he would be more valuable than a 27 year old who'd had a similar track record.

You say that players have to "earn" what they get but you only think that Komarov didn't because you have simply decided that because the KHL isn't as good a league as the NHL that anything anyone does there isn't real or doesn't count. That's just not the way the world works. If I do great work at a smaller company and interview at a larger one, I'd resent the hell out of them treating me like I was entry level even if they had rules that said that I was limited in my bargaining power. If the employees at that larger company then resented me for going back to the smaller company for way more money I'd think they were brainwashed.

 

[Mot the Barber]

I would have preferred that Leo accept that he's an RFA.

Except as mentioned that's an entirely artificial concept. The fact that the NHL has decided to bargain that situation into being doesn't change the realities of what hockey players are worth. If Sidney Crosby was 22 and available to sign wherever he wanted he would be more valuable than a 27 year old who'd had a similar track record.

You say that players have to "earn" what they get but you only think that Komarov didn't because you have simply decided that because the KHL isn't as good a league as the NHL that anything anyone does there isn't real or doesn't count. That's just not the way the world works. If I do great work at a smaller company and interview at a larger one, I'd resent the hell out of them treating me like I was entry level even if they had rules that said that I was limited in my bargaining power. If the employees at that larger company then resented me for going back to the smaller company for way more money I'd think they were brainwashed.

Exactly.  Well put. 

Many fans, in fact, are brainwashed in just such a way.  They expect unreasonable loyalty from someone breaking their body to make money.  Of course they're going to take the most money out there, they have to live with the physical consequences (concussions, broken bones, old age pains...etc).  This reminds me of the Kovalchuk scenario...or really any scenario in which a player picks the KHL over the NHL...or even vice versa.

Let's face it, the KHL is getting bigger, stronger and better all the time.  We keep telling ourselves that the NHL is the best league in the world.  But for how much longer?  Is it still the better league today even?

With them dishing out money like that...I'm telling you, the NHL will basically have 0 European talent left.  And that's actually a good thing for North American players.  But which league will be the better one?  Who knows in 5 or 10 years I might be playing in a KHL fantasy league instead of an NHL one.

 

[Jalili]

Let's face it, the KHL is getting bigger, stronger and better all the time.  We keep telling ourselves that the NHL is the best league in the world.  But for how much longer?  Is it still the better league today even?

With them dishing out money like that...I'm telling you, the NHL will basically have 0 European talent left.  And that's actually a good thing for North American players.  But which league will be the better one?  Who knows in 5 or 10 years I might be playing in a KHL fantasy league instead of an NHL one.

The KHL might be getting the upper hand over the AHL, but compared to the NHL it still doesn't even come close.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2012/01/06/khl_gunslinging_owners_drugs_dodgy_air_travel_all_part_of_the_game.html

 

[caver]

I did like the way Komarov played the game, but he wasn't a game-changer. I liked him in the same way I liked Beamsville Billy Berg or Motor City Smitty. Fun to watch. 

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Going into next season, there are only 28 active Russian players in the NHL, thought that was an interesting stat.

 

[KoHo]

Going into next season, there are only 28 active Russian players in the NHL, thought that was an interesting stat.

Down from 60 Russian players ten years ago.

 

[Redleaf]

Going into next season, there are only 28 active Russian players in the NHL, thought that was an interesting stat.

Down from 60 Russian players ten years ago.

NHL champ vs. KHL champ for 'World Cup'?