Toronto allocated $16.5 million in 2026-27 cap space to five forwards whose combined roles resemble parts of Leo Komarov's old job.
Komarov became a fan favourite during his stint with the Maple Leafs from 2012-13 to 2017-18 where he recorded 122 points, 138 PIM, and over 1,100 hits. Komarov became a fan favourite because he combined physical forechecking, penalty killing and positional versatility. He recorded 52 goals and 122 points in 327 games with Toronto while delivering 1160 hits.
Komarov recorded seven points in 17 games for Kiekko-Espoo after signing for the remainder of the 2025-2026 Liiga season. His status for 2026-27 has not been confirmed.
Komarov represents Finland internationally and was raised there, but he was born in Narva, Estonia.
Chayka divided Komarov's job into separate roles spread throughout the lineup
Komarov last played for Toronto in 2027-18 and made his final NHL appearence with the Islanders in 2021-22. Eight seasons later, the Maple Leafs have again prioritized physicality, penalty killing and bottom-six versatility.
Toronto has allocated $16.5 million in 2026-27 cap hits to Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, Colton Sissons, Jack Roslovic and Brandon Duhaime.
Paul was acquired through a trade with his existing $3.15-million contract, while Blueger, Sissons, Roslovic and Duhaime signed with Toronto. The figure represents their combined annual cap hits, not their total contract value or acquisition cost.
Nick Paul ($3.15M), Teddy Blueger ($2.5M), Colton Sissons ($4.25M), Jack Roslovic ($4M), and Brandon Duhaime ($2.6M) are all middle and bottom-six players like Komarov but with his skillset spread out.
Paul, Sissons and Blueger strengthen Toronto through the middle and provide potential penalty-killing options. Roslovic supplies more speed and secondary scoring, while Duhaime brings the clearest comparison to Komarov's physical forechecking.
The five players do not replicated Komarov individually. Together, they cover several responsibilities that Toronto once asked one versatile forward to handle.
Toronto is hoping that a committee built around a skillset like Komarov's will better balance the lineup and not have one person responsible for so much.
Komarov's value disappeared when Toronto asked him to do too much
His debut season wasn't anything to write home about with nine points in 42 games, but Komarov was signed at only a $1.2M cap hit.
Komarov signed a four-year, $11.8-milllion contract carrying a $2.95-million cap hit in 2014. He produced 26 points in the first season and 36 in the second.
The cited 33 goals and 68 points came during the middle two season of the contract, 2015-16 and 2016-17, not the first two. His production then fell to 19 points in 2017-18.
Komarov is certainly a Swiss Army knife of a player, who can take either wing or centre and give the team a stable presence.
Komarov's role became more defence-oriented during his final Toronto season, while his production declined to seven goals and 19 points in 74 games.
The criticism surrounding Komarov intensified when Toronto continued giving him significant minutes and special-teams usage during a 19-point final season.
The frustration was therefore tied to more closely to deployment and declining results than to the need for a physical, defensively responsible forward.
Komarov demonstrated that he could move temporarily into a top-six role,
particularly during his 19-goal, 36 point All-Star season in 2015-16.
His broader Toronto resume, however, was that of a middle-six utility winger rather than a consistent top-six scorer.
It's when the coaching staff determined he was best suited in a bottom-six and defensive role where his contract started to turn heads, and this was in an era that didn't have near $100-million salary cap - that's where frustration lay.
His role was an important one for Toronto and he was a stable veteran presence who could protect the young players coming in like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander both offensively and physically.
Chayka has not recreated Komarov through one player. He has distributed physicality, penalty killing, centre depth and secondary scoring across five forwards carrying $16.5 million in combined cap hits.
The approach succeeds only if those players improve Toronto's depth without being pushed beyond their appropriate roles, the same problem that eventually reduced Komarov's value.
Did you like Leo Komarov when he was with the Maple Leafs?
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