According to TSN, the Leafs are expected to buy out Komisarek's contract.
Was the amount over 1M going to count against the cap or something?
I get letting a player find a place to play in the NHL, but if the salary wasn't going to hinder the Leafs in any way I'm not sure why we'd waste a buyout on him.
Komi and Finger must go down as the worst overpayments in Leafs UFA history. Terrible contracts.
I agree with you on this 100%.
One trade I'd do: Komisarek to the Islanders for DiPietro and a first.
Rats, I never read this thread before today and thought that I came up with a brilliant and unique concept when on June 15th I wrote:
The Leafs could bury Komisarek for 1 final year and STILL sign Clarkson, trade for Stewart, Bieska and Gudbranson (or re-sign Gunnarsson) with almost $3 MIL in cap space. The players I re-signed I am pretty sure are within $0.5 MIL + or -.
One step further would be helping NYI's ownership by taking Dipietro's horrible contract in a trade like Dipietro and NYIs 2014 1st for Komisarek. That would allow an additional $2 MIL forward to be signed leaving $4 MIL in cap space.
Like I stated above, keeping $2 MIL of Komisarek's salary on the books by burying him would still allow $7.5 - $8.0 MIL AAV salary to sign 2 of Clarkson (to replace Frattin), Clowe or Stewart; trade for Bieska $4.6 MIL in a buyout/trade deal as well as add Gudbranson or re-sign Gunnarsson.
That means the Leafs could keep up to $2 MIL of Komisarek's salary for next season in a trade for Dipietro and NYI's 1st pick and still have space to do a lot.