Komarov: Sell or Keep?

[Highlander]

It's not outside the realm of possibility that either Komarov, Bozak and JVR are all traded before seasons end (or some combination of above).  Sosh, Kapanen, Leivo are in the mix for these positions. Obviously we need to have or make some openings as our younguns start to mature. And for a lot less a year than the 10.95 million we are paying the vets this year and the fairly large increase we are going to have to pay JVR to keep him.

 

[freer]

WHY would he do this?

It's not outside the realm of possibility that either Komarov, Bozak and JVR are all traded before seasons end (or some combination of above).  Sosh, Kapanen, Leivo are in the mix for these positions. Obviously we need to have or make some openings as our younguns start to mature. And for a lot less a year than the 10.95 million we are paying the vets this year and the fairly large increase we are going to have to pay JVR to keep him.

Also other good suggestions have been made by others on the forum

I disagree with the comment that they would be traded at or prior to the deadline. The only reason you trade them at the deadline is if your not expecting the team to do well in the playoffs. IMO

 

[rdowdall]

WHY would he do this?

It's not outside the realm of possibility that either Komarov, Bozak and JVR are all traded before seasons end (or some combination of above).  Sosh, Kapanen, Leivo are in the mix for these positions. Obviously we need to have or make some openings as our younguns start to mature. And for a lot less a year than the 10.95 million we are paying the vets this year and the fairly large increase we are going to have to pay JVR to keep him.

Also other good suggestions have been made by others on the forum

I disagree with the comment that they would be traded at or prior to the deadline. The only reason you trade them at the deadline is if your not expecting the team to do well in the playoffs. IMO

Or you can turn them in assets that strengthen year team in the long run.

 

[herman]

Or Ottawa really wants to commit seppuku and goes, hey Lou, Phaneuf said Bozak and JvR and Komarov are really good, so you guys want Karlsson for him?

 

[bustaheims]

Or you can turn them in assets that strengthen year team in the long run.

Or, sometimes, you have players in the system you can contribute the same amount or more in the same role, and that gives the opportunity to keep building up the kind of pipeline teams need to be contenders for an extended period.

 

[Kin]

Or you just don't think Leo Komarov is going to be a difference maker in the playoffs.

 

[Coco-puffs]

Or you just don't think Leo Komarov is going to be a difference maker in the playoffs.

Yup.  He's definitely not the type that would help you in tighter checking, more physical contests against better players.

 

[Kin]

Yup.  He's definitely not the type that would help you in tighter checking, more physical contests against better players.

I'll say. The Caps last year were so intimidated they only managed to take 59% of the 5v5 shots with him on the ice. 

Of course, you do have to weigh that against his one assist in 13 playoff games,

 

[Coco-puffs]

Yup.  He's definitely not the type that would help you in tighter checking, more physical contests against better players.

I'll say. The Caps last year were so intimidated they only managed to take 59% of the 5v5 shots with him on the ice. 

Of course, you do have to weigh that against his one assist in 13 playoff games,

Yup, I'm sure we have lots of guys who can be hard-matched against Backstrom/Ovechkin for 6 games, start in the defensive zone a ton, and sport a -1.

 

[Kin]

Yup, I'm sure we have lots of guys who can be hard-matched against Backstrom/Ovechkin for 6 games, start in the defensive zone a ton, and sport a -1.

Well, there were the other two guys on his line. Although they only shot par, they didn't manage a -1. Hockey's like golf, right?

But as integral as Komarov I'm sure was to the killer defensive strategy of letting Backstrom and Ovechkin take so many shots they eventually got tired and sleepy...I'm not sure that's evidence that he's absolutely irreplaceable or would prove to be the margin of victory in a significant playoff series.

 

[bustaheims]

Yup, I'm sure we have lots of guys who can be hard-matched against Backstrom/Ovechkin for 6 games, start in the defensive zone a ton, and sport a -1.

He and his line mates did a wonderful job of allowing the line of Ovechkin/Backstrom/Oshie to only score 6 of the 8 goals they scored at even strength - and that doesn't include goals that may have been scored by defencemen with them on the ice.

 

[anton girdeaux]

Trade block/part of a package?

 

[Coco-puffs]

Yup, I'm sure we have lots of guys who can be hard-matched against Backstrom/Ovechkin for 6 games, start in the defensive zone a ton, and sport a -1.

He and his line mates did a wonderful job of allowing the line of Ovechkin/Backstrom/Oshie to only score 6 of the 8 goals they scored at even strength - and that doesn't include goals that may have been scored by defencemen with them on the ice.

Fact check:

Washington scored 13 even strength goals during the series (12 @ 5v5), not 8.  Only 5 of them came with at least two of those guys on the ice.  Oshie was on the ice for another goal with a different line, so your number 6 is only slightly correct. 

Komarov was on for 2 GF and 3 GA at even-strength all against Backstrom/Ovie.  Two more goals were scored with Backstrom/Oshie (no Ovie), both of which Matthews was on the ice for.*

(* In no way am I saying Matthews was in any way bad- he was fantastic in that series. Just got the wrong end of being against Backstrom (-1))

 

[Kin]

Fact check:

Washington scored 13 even strength goals during the series (12 @ 5v5), not 8. 

I'm really not sure how you could read Busta's first line there and think he was saying Washington only scored 8 goals as opposed to those three players.

And again, we're back to "He's not irreplaceable" which does not mean the same thing as "he has no value".

 

[Frank E]

What's the argument here?  That Komarov isn't good enough defensively against OV and Backstrom?  I'm trying to sift through the sarcasm to extrapolate a point to this.

Pretty much any player is "replaceable".

Komarov has been pretty well established around here in terms of being a strong defensive and physical presence.  So if he's replaceable, who is the substitute we're suggesting could take his place?

 

[Britishbulldog]

What's the argument here?  That Komarov isn't good enough defensively against OV and Backstrom?  I'm trying to sift through the sarcasm to extrapolate a point to this.

Pretty much any player is "replaceable".

Komarov has been pretty well established around here in terms of being a strong defensive and physical presence.  So if he's replaceable, who is the substitute we're suggesting could take his place?

The enjoyable banter that attracted me here 20 years or so ago is rarely displayed anymore.  This style of demeaning tone against Coco Puffs has a putrid stench that has driven away almost everyone I had considered friends here with only a few left.

I feel bad for how hard Rob, Darryl, Jay and especially Rick have worked to build a great community to only see it degenerate.  Most likely I won't be back but most of the movers and shakers here won't give a shit.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

If I had to guess it would be that while Komarov is a valuable PK'er and plays a hard-nosed game, he isn't the second coming of Frank Selke or Patrice Bergeron.

He is making more than his production suggests he is worth.

Someone like Soshnikov has all of the base elements that Komarov has to his game in terms of PK and physicality and can do so with more offensive flair and at a cheaper price point.

Komarov is likely to look for a contract that sets his family up financially and at his age and with his style of play, that might not be a smart move.

In a cap world, you cannot fall in love with middle six players making more than they are worth, that's a one-way road towards mediocrity. See Montreal, Boston and the Leafs before they properly stripped the junk and committed to a rebuild.

 

[Coco-puffs]

To be clear, I am not advocating that we re-sign Komarov.  I'd rather go with a younger cheaper option next year.  And if the return for him at the deadline is good I wouldn't complain about him getting traded but I wouldn't necessarily be shopping him either.

I just bristle at the comment that he wouldn't be a difference maker in the playoffs.  Sure, he wouldn't light up the scoresheet, but that's not his role and I think he's pretty effective in his role.

 

[Kin]

I just bristle at the comment that he wouldn't be a difference maker in the playoffs.  Sure, he wouldn't light up the scoresheet, but that's not his role and I think he's pretty effective in his role.

He wouldn't be replaced by nobody. He'd be replaced by someone with other skills that could also be valuable. The value Komarov brings vs. the value his replacement would(even if it's an internal replacement) is small enough that any series that would be decided by his presence is effectively going to be a toss-up anyway and is far more likely to be decided by any one of a hundred other variables.

Again, saying he wouldn't make the difference in a playoff run isn't the same thing as saying he's without value.

 

[herman]

In a cap world, you cannot fall in love with middle six players making more than they are worth, that's a one-way road towards mediocrity. See Montreal, Boston and the Leafs before they properly stripped the junk and committed to a rebuild.

This. Chicago remained viable for as long as they did by ruthlessly moving their outer core players to replenish their ranks with better value propositions. It helps that other GMs are suckers for 'playoff heroes' or heart and soul types from championship dressing rooms and will overpay.