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Toronto Maple Leafs: What to do with the UFAs this offseason?

By James Reeve

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 17: Tyler Bozak #42 of the Toronto Maple Leafs gets set for a faceoff against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on March 17, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 4-0. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 17: Tyler Bozak #42 of the Toronto Maple Leafs gets set for a faceoff against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on March 17, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 4-0. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
ANNAPOLIS, MD – MARCH 03: Leo Komarov #47 of the Toronto Maple Leafs controls the puck in the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game against the Washington Capitals at United States Naval Academy on March 3, 2018 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Leo Komarov

Leo Komarov is another UFA on the wrong side of 30 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but is still contributing in ways that Mike Babcock appears to like.

Komarov has never been a top-scoring player in his NHL career, reaching double-digit goals just twice (19 in 15/16 and 14 in 16/17).

The Finnish international is an imposing physical presence often played on the fourth line, while also earing plenty of minutes on the penalty kill.

He has also been fairly consistent when called to take face-offs, which isn’t as frequent when he plays on the wing.

In 207 face-offs he has taken, he has a 52.2 percent success rate – good for 108 wins.

He is also another leader on the team, wearing the alternate ‘A’ ever since Babcock took over as head coach.

With the team trending in the right direction, with some big contracts still to be signed over the next two years, Komarov is another player who will need to take a pay cut to remain on the books.

He currently carries a $2.95 million cap hit and with his playing time being reduced to 15:56 per game, a contract closer to $2 million may be enough to keep him around.

A short-term deal would be the most logical at this stage of Komarov’s career with the Leafs and his positive defensive play still being appealing to Babcock. The one-time Olympic bronze medalist should still be wearing the Maple Leaf on his jersey come October.

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