Toronto Maple Leafs: Comparing Komarov to Shack

Eddie Shack was hated if you played against him but loved if you played with him. Leo Komarov now holds that title for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Shack from the New York Rangers for Pat Hannigan and Johnny Wilson.

The Leafs drafted Komarov 180th overall during the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Similarity #1: Fan Favourites

Shack joined the Leafs during the 1960-61 season and almost instantly became a fan favorite. He was given the nickname, The Entertainer, because his on-ice antics which infuriated the opposition. Also scoring the 1963 Stanley Cup game winning goal does not hurt either.

Komarov joined Leafs during the 2012-13 season and just like Shack, he instantly became a fan favorite. Using his fearless like attitude and hard driven efforts, he became a household name to Leafs fans.

Similarity #2: Agitators

Shack was known as one of the biggest pests during his time. He was the type of player that you hated if he was not on your team. Known for excessive stick work and other antics, Shack was not popular with any other team or their fans.

Uncle Leo fills the same role for the Leafs. As an agitator, he gets under the skin of many players. While he cannot slash players with his stick like Shack did, he still finds ways to anger them. He primarily relies on trash-talking or sneakily pushing them into the boards. Add in his fearlessness to go into the corners for dirty battles and you have an annoying player to play against.

Similarity #3: Net Presence

While Shack was great at getting under the skin of the opposition, he was also good at putting the puck into the net. Using his big frame of 6’1 and 195 pounds, he was able to force his way to the front of the net. This is where he would spend a lot of his time in the offensive zone and where he would anger his opponents. As I stated before, he would strike the opponent with his stick and most of the time, that was in front of the net. When he was not slashing them, he would be putting the puck into the net, scoring a career high 26 goals in 63 games during the 1965-66 season.

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Komarov’s favourite spot on the ice is in front of the net. It’s where he scores most of his goals and does most of his agitating. For example, in a game against the Washington Capitals last year, he not only scored but found a way to get under Brooks Orpik’s skin. That is just an example of how frustrating he is to play against but how funny he is from a fan’s perspective. With a career high of 19 goals in 67 games in 2015-16, Komarov is able to be an effective player while being a pest.

Conclusion

Shack and Komarov are both fan favourites because of their style of play. By being agitating, they are able to get under the skin of their opposition and thus, throw them off their game. In addition, they are also good at possessing a strong net front presence. They can score but still agitate from that position, creating an entertaining dynamic for fans to watch.

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If I had to choose one player, it would have to be Shack. His fearlessness is not seen much nowadays and while Komarov does show the same trait, it is not to the same extent. Shack also has won multiple Stanley Cups with the Leafs. If Komarov ever wants to be able to surpass Shack, he will need to do the same.

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