Mike Komisarek News & Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

January 27

Toronto Sun

"The Maple Leafs' two wins against the New York Islanders this week are a trial run for the club's game plan in its final 33 games. The Leafs are due to face much tougher opposition — starting with a home-and-home next week against the rejuvenated Pittsburgh Penguins — but sticking to the script will yield points at some stage. On Tuesday, Toronto didn't get in sync until late in its 4-3 overtime victory when it started utilizing team speed. "We're trying to move pucks quickly and get it into our forwards' hands," defenceman Mike Komisarek said. "But at the same time, other teams are going to be watching video of us and making adjustments and try to take away our strengths from a game."

Lombardi, Komisarek out at least three weeks

November 19

Toronto Sun

"The appearance of James Reimer on the ice was the lone ray of sunshine for the battered Maple Leafs on Friday. Reimer, out since suffering a head injury Oct. 22 against Montreal, last practised on Oct. 26 in Manhattan. Toronto' starting goalie, 4-0-1 on the season, was on the ice for a short period of time, taking shots from members of the coaching staff. Head coach Ron Wilson cautioned though that Reimer's conditioning has fallen behind due to his absence and he is still a ways away. "He said he felt fine, but he was only out there for 15 minutes. This is going to be a process that's going to take a little bit of time to get him ready," Wilson said. "This isn't like he's going to practise"

Leafs lose game to Preds, Komisarek and Lombardi to injury

November 18

Toronto Star

"From a purely spectator point of view — and by that point, with just over a minute left in regulation time, the Maple Leafs were no more than spectators to the outcome — it was among the most memorable of misses ever. No goalie, a couple of feet from the crease, and Predator Craig Smith missed the open net entirely, lifted the puck all the way up into the protective netting He must be dying of mortification. Certainly they were howling with laughter on the Nashville bench. "We'll be joking and jabbing him for the next week or two," chuckled coach Barry Trotz. Well, they could afford to ha-ha and hee-haw, nicely tucked into a 4-1 triumph over the Maple Leafs, here making one of their rare"

Komisarek stuffs his struggles

October 6

Toronto Sun

"The next time a player talks about not hearing the fans and feeling the pressure of playing in Toronto, consider what Mike Komisarek has gone through as a Maple Leaf. In two full seasons here, he has battled injury and some struggles in his game. But as Year 3 in the blue and white approaches, the big defenceman believes he has put his struggles behind him. "You are quickly reminded in this city of your past faults and past mistakes and sometimes that stuff can weigh you down," Komisarek said. "But I see this year as an opportunity to get back that feeling of when you are a kid. I can 't wait to get down here and play games." Komisarek will begin the season beside rookie Jake"

Komisarek won't be charged in alleged nightclub fight

May 23

TMZ.com

"Mike Komisarek - an all-star defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs -- will not face charges after he was accused of punching a woman in a nighclub back in January ... TMZ has learned. As TMZ first reported, Komisarek was under investigation by the LAPD after a woman claimed she slapped him in the face ... and he responded by punching her."

Players need to be protected, says Leafs' Komisarek

March 26

Toronto Star

"Despite having delivered a rather controversial hit, Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek says he believes the league and the NHL Players' Association have to protect players, especially stars like Sidney Crosby. "No one likes to see a guy like Sidney Crosby on the shelf for a couple of months," said Komisarek. "People pay a lot of money (to see him play) and he's the face of the league. When a guy like that gets a couple of concussions, it's going to raise a lot of eyebrows and stir debate. "At the end of the day, the league and the players' association is doing as much as possible to protect the guys and make the game as safe as possible and at the same time keeping that physical element"

Mike Komisarek defends hit on Mark Olver

March 25

Toronto Star

"Mike Komisarek had that worried look on his face as he looked at the television in the Leaf room that was replaying his devastating hit on Colorado Avalanche forward Mark Olver. Komisarek, the Leaf representative on the NHL Players' Association, wants head shots out of the game as much as anybody. While he doesn't believe he did anything wrong, he understands the league – under intense scrutiny for the growing number of concussions – might see things differently. "I don't think it was a dirty play, or intent to injure, or head shot, or anything we've been talking about," said Komisarek. "It seemed like a good hockey hit. I hope the kid's all right." Olver left the game with a head injury."

Los Angeles police remain mum on Komisarek

January 25

Toronto Star

"Other than to confirm Mike Komisarek was being investigated, Los Angeles police offered little comment regarding allegations Komisarek hit a woman and caused her to bleed in a Hollywood nightclub. "Since this is an on-going investigation, we don't release any information regarding the victim, the suspect or anything regarding the incident," said Det. Ronaldo Rodriguez of the Hollywood detachment of the LAPD. Rodriguez said only at the conclusion of the investigation — whether the suspect has been charged or cleared — would police talk."

Komisarek doesn't want nightclub incident to be distraction

January 24

Toronto Sun

"Mike Komisarek talked on Sunday, but it's clear that others in the Maple Leafs organization will be handling the next stage of an incident in a Hollywood nightclub. Komisarek, whose name appeared on a celebrity gossip website for allegedly punching an unnamed woman, broke 24 hours of silence on Sunday, to say he didn't want it to be an issue that would take teammates' attention off the last two games before the NHL all-star break. "I've been advised by (Toronto general manager) Brian Burke not to say anything yet," Komisarek said after practice. "I can't let this be a distraction. We're here to win hockey games. The other stuff ... I can't comment." The Leafs then departed for two road"

Komisarek stays silent on assault allegation

January 24

Toronto Star

"Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek said he's been asked by his team not to comment on an online report that he allegedly punched a woman at a Hollywood night club earlier this month. "Right now, I've been advised by (Toronto general manager Brian) Burke not to comment on the situation. That's where it is right now," Komisarek told reporters before the Leafs departed on a two-game road trip Sunday. "I don't have anything to say. I don't have a comment to make on that situation right now." TMZ.com, a website that specializes in gossip about the misbehaviour of athletes, actors and other celebrities, posted a story early Saturday saying that Los Angeles police want to talk to Komisarek"

League following up on Komisarek accusations

January 23

Toronto Sun

"A celebrity gossip website is claiming Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek is under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department after a woman was allegedly punched in the face at a Hollywood nightclub. The Leafs were stopped over in L.A. from Jan. 8 to Jan. 10 during a long road trip. TMZ.com claims Komisarek was named in a police report filed by an unnamed woman, who said the 6-foot-4, 243-pound defenceman lifted her up in the air at the club. The woman demanded Komisarek put her down, but he refused and she slapped him in the face. Komisarek is said to have immediately put her down, but allegedly punched her, drawing blood. When Komisarek departed the club, the matter was"

Leafs defend Komisarek after assault accusation

January 23

Toronto Star

"Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek is rattled by word police want to talk to him about allegations he punched a woman, causing her to bleed, in a Hollywood nightclub. Komisarek declined to speak to reporters on Saturday, and his agent Matt Keaton offered a firm "no comment" when asked about the allegations reported by TMZ.com. But coach Ron Wilson said Komisarek was bothered by the news."

Reports: Komisarek accused of assaulting woman in L.A.

January 22

Toronto Star

"Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek has some explaining to do with the Los Angeles Police Department, according to an entertainment and gossip web site. A woman has complained to police that Komisarek punched her on the dance floor during the Leafs trip to the West Coast, according to tmz.com. She told police she bled following the punch."

Fehr's support overwhelming

December 19

Toronto Sun

"Mike Komisarek isn't certain of the final count. But he knows the support for newly elected players union executive director Donald Fehr was overwhelming. "After 28 teams, there were only a handful of guys that didn't vote yes," said Komisarek, the Maple Leafs union rep. "It's very positive. The past couple of years the NHLPA has been a bit unsettled. Don can come in and help bring the players on the same page." Komisarek said Fehr's success in baseball during his lengthy stint as the head of the players union speaks for itself."

Leafs' Schenn fine, Komisarek improving

December 14

Toronto Sun

"The Leafs escaped one injury to a defenceman at practice and received good news on another before leaving for Western Canada on Monday afternoon. Luke Schenn departed the workout after taking a puck on the unpadded part of the inside of his knee, a painful sensation that sent him limping to the dressing room. "It just really stung and I couldn't put a ton of weight on it," said Schenn, who has been the most reliable player at his position this season. "I got some ice on it and it'll be fine." Another defenceman, Mike Komisarek, made it through a full practice with his sore hand not bothering him as much as thought. He could play Tuesday in Edmonton, if coach Ron Wilson wants to risk it."

Injured hand is latest blow to Komisarek

December 12

Toronto Sun

"In what already has been a season of discontent, embattled Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek now must stay positive while he waits for his injured hand to heal. "It's easy to get down and be negative," Komisarek said about his injury and the fact that the Leafs had only won five games out of their previous 20 heading into Saturday night's contest against the Montreal Canadiens. "You know, you look for the positives and come to the rink ready to work and try to build confidence and turn this thing around. You want to be in the lineup battling with your teammates." Komisarek suffered his injury in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Penguins. The rugged defenceman got into two different fights"

Komisarek's nasty Hab-it

October 9

Toronto Sun

"What is it about opening night of an NHL season that doesn't agree with Mike Komisarek? A year ago, against his former Montreal teammates, the big defenceman was so amped about his Maple Leafs debut that he spent as much time in the penalty box as he did on the ice. And his second chance to make a good first impression Thursday night didn't go much better. Some tentative play in the Leafs' 3-2 opening-night win over the Montreal Canadiens found Komisarek glued to the Leafs bench for the longest stretch in his brief stint with the team, one still seeking positive momentum. Komisarek was restricted to just 12 minutes and eight seconds, by far the least ice time of the Leafs' six defenceman"

Komisarek slips out of Leafs' top four

October 9

Toronto Star

"On a hockey team, ice time is perhaps the purest indicator of a player's rising and falling stock. Another is who he is partnered with on defence or lined up with on the forward lines. By either measure, defenceman Mike Komisarek has received a demotion and Luke Schenn has been bounced up the ladder on the Maple Leafs blue line. Early in camp, coach Ron Wilson said it was his hope to pair Komisarek with Tomas Kaberle. Dion Phaneuf and Francois Beauchemin would skate as the other twosome in the team's top four defencemen. The fifth and sixth blueliners, the way it appeared to be evolving, would be Luke Schenn and Carl Gunnarsson."

Leafs' Mike Komisarek says his shoulder is healed

July 29

Toronto Star

"Leaf defenceman Mike Komisarek says his ailing shoulder is doing just fine and he'll be ready for training camp in September. "I'm all ready to go, absolutely," Komisarek said. Komisarek injured his shoulder in a game against the Calgary Flames in early January, and on Feb. 3 he opted to have season-ending surgery in order to be ready for the 2010-2011 season. The decision to have surgery also ended his hopes to play for Team USA in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Komisarek is heading into his second season with the Leafs. His first didn't go too well. A punishing stay-at-home defenceman at his best, Komisarek appeared to try to do too much – rush the puck and fight – to justify his five-year,"

Leafs' Komisarek hungry as hell

June 30

Toronto Sun

"This summer, Mike Komisarek doesn't need a trade or free agency to provide a fresh start. But if ever a guy could use one, it is the big defenceman who a year ago was the celebrated Maple Leafs acquisition of the NHL free agency period. By Komisarek's own admission, the rest of the year is best forgotten. To recap, there was a rough start, borne from his desire to make up for decades of ineptitude with the franchise. While Komisarek struggled in his own end, the team was even worse, with an 0-7-1 beginning that dug a whole much too deep to recover. A nagging shoulder left over from his days in Montreal turned into a full-blown injury over New Year's in Calgary and after a month of trying"

A generous gesture

February 6

Toronto Sun

"An injured Mike Komisarek is now handing out cheques, not checks. Shut down for the season with an ailing shoulder this week, the big-hearted Maple Leafs defenceman recently spent $75,000 of his own money to send kids from a cancer camp to a Leafs game. "Unbelievable, isn't it?" coach Ron Wilson said Friday. "That's just the type of guy he is. I really feel bad for him that he can't play in the Olympics, let alone for us. But in spite of all of that disappointment, he can still find time to help others like that."

Uncanny timing by Gunnarsson

February 5

Toronto Sun

"Mike Komisarek and Carl Gunnarsson have played just one game together on defence for the Maple Leafs this season and have met mostly in passing through the dressing room. Yet, the fate of the seven-year NHL veteran and the rookie Swede are intertwined. When the $22.5-million US horse Komisarek tore a quad muscle in November, Gunnarsson leapt from the obscurity of 189th in his 2007 draft year to take his roster spot. When Gunnarsson smashed his elbow and missed the month of December, Komisarek came back and played his best hockey of the year. And when Komisarek went out again with his season-ending shoulder injury on Jan. 2, Gunnarsson not only stepped up once more, but gave the team enough"

Kessel can feel Komisarek's pain

February 5

Toronto Star

"If anyone knows how Mike Komisarek must feel, it's Phil Kessel. Kessel missed the end of the playoffs last season with a torn labrum and sat out nearly six months before being able to suit up for the Maple Leafs in November. Komisarek will miss the rest of this season, plus his shot at Olympic glory on Team USA, because of the same problem with his right shoulder. "It's not easy for him," Kessel said of Komisarek. "You always want to play, but you can't. You don't have any strength." Komisarek will undergo surgery in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday by specialist Dr. James Andrews. He will be reassessed Thursday and begin a rehabilitation program that will last upward of six months."

Whitney, Gleason named to U.S. team to replace Martin, Komisarek

February 5

New York Post

"Ryan Whitney of the Anaheim Ducks and Tim Gleason of the Carolina Hurricanes were chosen Thursday to replace injured Devils defensemen Paul Martin and Toronto's Mike Komisarek on the U.S. Olympic hockey team. Whitney and Gleason were selected from the pool of players who participated in the team's orientation camp last summer. The moves to replace Martin and Komisarek were made less than two weeks before the United States' opening game in Vancouver against Switzerland on Feb. 16. Team USA general manager Brian Burke said Whitney and Gleason have similar styles to the players they are replacing. That and their previous participation in other international competitions were key factors in"

Komisarek wants 'to do what's best for the Leafs'

February 4

Toronto Sun

"Maple Leaf defenceman Mike Komisarek's season-ending shoulder surgery will take place next Wednesday at Dr. James Andrews' world famous clinic in Birmingham, Ala., with a recovery time of four to six months. Still reluctant to go into details, except to say it involves a damaged right labrum but involves more than teammate Phil Kessel's similar shoulder procedure last spring, Komisarek told the media on Thursday that he tried every known method of rehabilitation. "I want to do what's best for the Leafs," Komisarek said in the same anteroom at the MasterCard Centre where fellow defenceman Mike Van Ryn's season-ending knee in jury was announced in the autumn. "They've made a long-term"

Komisarek wants 'to do what's best for the Leafs'

February 4

Toronto Sun

"Maple Leaf defenceman Mike Komisarek's season-ending shoulder surgery will take place next Wednesday at Dr. James Andrews' world famous clinic in Birmingham, Ala., with a recovery time of four to six months. Still reluctant to go into details, except to say it involves a damaged right labrum but involves more than teammate Phil Kessel's similar shoulder procedure last spring, Komisarek told the media on Thursday that he tried every known method of rehabilitation. "I want to do what's best for the Leafs," Komisarek said in the same anteroom at the MasterCard Centre where fellow defenceman Mike Van Ryn's season-ending knee in jury was announced in the autumn. "They've made a long-term"

Leafs, USA defenseman Komisarek will have surgery, miss Olympics

February 4

USA Today

"USA Hockey now will have replace two Olympic defensemen after the Toronto Maple Leafs' Mike Komisarek pulled out of the Vancouver Games on Wednesday.Komisarek has a shoulder injury and the team announced that he would need season-ending surgery. No date has been set. "Our team doctors have recommended this after a determined effort to rehab the injury without surgery. Having this done immediately is the right thing to do for the Leafs. I am truly sorry that I will not be able to represent my country at the Olympics," Komisarek, who last played on Jan. 2, said in a statement. Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke is also the GM for Team USA."

Komisarek through for season

February 4

Toronto Sun

"The Maple Leafs and Team USA will both have to get by without Mike Komisarek. Hoping to get late clearance from a nagging shoulder injury to play for his country at the Olympics, the Toronto defenceman instead found out Wednesday night he will have to undergo season-ending surgery at a later date. Already out a month -- he was hurt in a Jan. 2 game in Calgary, the day after being named to Team USA -- Komisarek will miss Toronto's final 25 games. He was at practice as recently as Wednesday, hoping an afternoon test would result in better news. "Our team doctors have recommended this after a determined effort to rehab the injury without surgery," Komisarek said in a release. "Having this"

Komisarek's season over

February 4

Toronto Star

"Mike Komisarek put up the best fight he could against his shoulder injury, but got the worst possible news about it Wednesday night. The Leafs blueliner, out since Jan.2, must undergo season-ending surgery, the last and only resort after more than a month fighting the odds to return to the lineup. "Our team doctors have recommended this after a determined effort to rehab the injury without surgery," Komisarek said in a statement released last night. The decision also spells the end to the Olympic dream of the Islip, N.Y., native, who signed a five-year, $22.5 million deal with Toronto last July. "Having this done immediately is the right thing to do for the Leafs," Komisarek added. "I am"

Komisarek will visit with doctors today

February 3

Toronto Star

"With the arrival of Dion Phaneuf and J.S. Giguere, the Leafs got a shot in the arm and renewed interest from their fans. But for Mike Komisarek, there is still some anxiety. The big defenceman visits with doctors Wednesday and the resulting assessment of his injured shoulder should determine whether or not he can play with the Leafs on Friday and get his preparations for the Olympics under way."

Komisarek likely to miss Olympics

January 31

NHL.com

"Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Komisarek will almost certainly not be a part of the Team USA lineup for the 2010 Olympics after receiving bad news from the doctors on Saturday. Komisarek, out since Jan. 2 with a shoulder injury, was hoping to get clearance to begin physical contact when he went to his check-up Saturday. Instead, he was told he must wait at least another week as the shoulder continues to heal. Team USA boss Brian Burke, who also happens to be the GM in Toronto, had said that Komisarek would have to get five NHL games under his belt before the Olympics to be a viable candidate to play in the tournament. If Komisarek is able to return next Saturday -- by no means a given"

Olympic clock runs out for injured Komisarek

January 31

Toronto Star

"Mike Komisarek received some unfortunate news Saturday night that will almost certainly end his hopes of competing in the Vancouver Olympics with Team USA. The big Leafs defenceman's injured shoulder will keep him sidelined up to another seven days – a span that will push him past a deadline to prepare for the Games. Leafs and Team USA general manager Brian Burke has said Komisarek – out since Jan.2 with his injury – would need to play in at least five games in advance of the Olympics. Komisarek missed his 14th game Saturday night and will likely miss at least two more, possibly three, if he is unable to play for another seven days."

Komisarek sets sights on Leafs, Games

January 26

Toronto Star

"Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek was selected to the U.S. Olympic team based on his talent, size and leadership. Now, it appears his ability to tolerate pain could be a factor as well. Komisarek practised with the Leafs yesterday, his first full workout since Jan. 2 when he was sidelined with an "upper-body injury.""

Defensive help on the way for Maple Leafs

January 18

Toronto Star

"With team defence being an issue, the struggling Maple Leafs will be getting some help from the sick bay, with both shutdown centre Wayne Primeau and stay-at-home blueliner Mike Komisarek expected to return to the lineup at some point during this week's four-game road trip. Primeau practised for the first time on his sore knee and accompanied the team on its flight Sunday night to Nashville, although he's doubtful for Monday's game. "It took a while to get going," Primeau said of his skate. "But once I got up to speed it was good.""

Kessel, Komisarek happy to get call

January 2

Toronto Sun

"If there were some post New Year's eve cobwebs clogging Mike Komisarek's head yesterday, they cleared in a hurry. The Maple Leafs defenceman rang in the new decade in style when he picked up the phone and his boss Brian Burke was on the line with news that he is a U.S. Olympian. "It's definitely a pretty awesome way to start off the New Year," Komisarek said late yesterday afternoon, still beaming at the confirmation he is going to Vancouver. "As an athlete, it's the ultimate to have the opportunity to represent your country on the Olympic stage. "It's an honour and a privilege." That privilege will also go to his Leafs teammate, Phil Kessel, who also got the call yesterday, his coach Ron"

Ready to represent

December 30

Toronto Sun

"When it comes to patriotic support, he bleeds red, white and blue, but Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek is getting caught up in the Canadian Olympic hype. He can't miss it whenever he turns on the television in Toronto or in the team's dressing room, where there has been heated debate as to who will be named to Team Canada today. "When you grow up, you dream about playing in the NHL and competing for the Stanley Cup and then having the opportunity to play for your country on the Olympic stage," Komisarek said yesterday. "It's not something many get to do. It's an honour and a privilege." The U.S. team won't officially be unveiled until New Year's Day during the NHL's Winter Classic"

Charity helps Mike Komisarek honour his mom's memory

December 26

Toronto Star

"If there was anything Mike Komisarek remembered about being injured earlier this month, it was how much he hated having to sit idle while his Leafs were struggling to turn their season around. But it wasn't all bad. On one of those idle nights Komisarek sat in a gondola at the Air Canada Centre with a group of kids from Camp Oochigeas, a camp for kids fighting cancer. "It was tough sitting, but the best part about being injured was getting to be with those kids," said the veteran Leafs defenceman. He was a familiar face, having purchased an entire season's worth of Leaf tickets in the box for the camp's children."

Komisarek makes final save

December 21

Toronto Sun

"Mike Komisarek helped preserve Jonas Gustavsson's shutout on Saturday -- and then helped rescue the souvenir puck. After the 2-0 win against the Boston Bruins, Komisarek saw Lee Stempniak toss the game puck to a fan in the seats. "I shouted 'What are you doing?'" Komisarek said."

Those first 16? Not so sweet

November 30

Toronto Sun

"Hockey players don't often experience the luxury of getting a do-over in the midst of a rigorous season. But Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek will, and he has no plans to waste the opportunity. The Leafs' big catch on the free-agent market last summer after he was lured from the arch-rival Montreal Canadiens with a five-year, $22.5-million US contract, Komisarek wants to erase from his memory his first 16 games in a Leafs uniform. His next Toronto chapter will begin tonight, when he is slated to return to the lineup against the Buffalo Sabres after a small quadriceps tear kept him out nearly three weeks. "It was good to take a step back and re-evaluate," Komisarek said. "You can't"

It's a clean slate for Komisarek

November 30

Toronto Star

"A small tear in one of his quadriceps muscles is not the only part of Mike Komisarek that healed over the last three weeks. The forced hiatus, one that will end with his return to the Maple Leafs' lineup Monday night against Buffalo, was also a salve for the veteran defenceman's psyche. It was a chance for him to step back and take advantage of a rare thing in the Toronto market – perspective. Komisarek was off to a brutal start to the season after signing a five-year, $22.5 million (all figures U.S.) deal with the Leafs in the summer. The 27-year-old clearly felt the pressure of more than doubling the $1.9 million stipend he earned with Montreal, his previous employer, and played as if he"

A clean slate for Komisarek

November 30

Toronto Star

"A small tear in one of his quadriceps muscles is not the only part of Mike Komisarek that healed over the last three weeks. The forced hiatus, one that will end with his return to the Maple Leafs' lineup Monday night against Buffalo, was also a salve for the veteran defenceman's psyche. It was a chance for him to step back and take advantage of a rare thing in the Toronto market – perspective. Komisarek was off to a brutal start to the season after signing a five-year, $22.5 million (all figures U.S.) deal with the Leafs in the summer."

Leafs scrap at practice; Komisarek may return Monday

November 30

TSN.ca

"The Toronto Maple Leafs had an eventful practice on Sunday, mixing in a small disagreement with some good news about Mike Komisarek. Mikhail Grabovski and Francois Beauchemin were involved in a scuffle and had to be separated, reports AM640 in Toronto. The radio station is reporting the pair was involved in an argument and Grabovski tried to punch Beauchemin. Jason Blake and assistant coach Tim Hunter got between them. Komisarek returned to the ice Sunday and head coach Ron Wilson told AM640 he expects the veteran defenceman to play against the Bufflao Sabres on Monday. The 27-year-old has been out since sustaining a tear in his quad against the Minnesota Wild on November 10."

Komisarek to return to Leafs lineup tomorrow night

November 29

Toronto Sun

"The Maple Leafs should get a large boost to their blue line tomorrow night. Defenceman Mike Komisarek, who has missed nearly three weeks with a small tear in a quad muscle, practised with his teammates this morning for the first time since suffering the injury and coach Ron Wilson expects him to play against the Buffalo Sabres at the Air Canada Centre. "It's never fun, never easy having to watch from the sideline," Komisarek said. "I'm just looking forward to getting back in the lineup and having a fresh start." Komisarek was the Leafs' big catch on the free-agent market last summer, as he was lured from the arch-rival Montreal Canadiens with a five-year, $22.5-million US contract. But in"

Komisarek's pain is Gunnarsson's gain

November 13

Toronto Star

"Defenceman Carl Gunnarsson showed up, on time, wearing a jacket and tie and carrying his suitcase. He knew he was going on the road. But when he woke up on Thursday morning, he figured it would be on the Marlies' trip to Winnipeg, not the Maple Leafs' trip to Chicago. "Just before I left, the coach called me in. He said, `Walk over to the Leafs because you're going to play with them,'" Gunnarsson said of the sudden change in his life."

Komisarek's debut in blue and white ends on bitter note

October 2

Toronto Sun

columnist Mike Zeisberger

"It was 10 hours before the opening puck was to be dropped on the Maple Leafs 2009-10 curtain-raiser and Mike Komisarek already was poised to crush someone. This, coach Ron Wilson surmised, was a man in need of a verbal tranquilizer. Komisarek was jacked-up. For his first regular-season game as a Leaf. For the opportunity to face his former team, the Montreal Canadiens, in front of a national television audience. Heck, just for the chance to hit someone. Wilson realized his new gritty defenceman was bouncing off the walls. So, the coach had a talk with the former Hab. The message: Don't waste all your energy before the clock had even struck noon. Easier said than done. Even as he"

Leafs' Komisarek `answers bell'

October 2

Toronto Star

"Mike Komisarek took 15 penalty minutes, he was in the box for two Montreal goals, including the goal that sent the game to overtime, but Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson has no problem with how the hard-hitting defenceman played in his debut in Blue and White. "I was very happy with his play," said Wilson. "He was setting a tone tonight, the way he's going to play the rest of the season, and ringing the bell for the rest of our guys." Komisarek admitted playing his first game against his former team – in the charged atmosphere of the season opener at the Air Canada Centre – might have had something to do with his extra rambunctiousness."

Hard-hitter Komisarek plays it soft off-ice

October 2

Toronto Star

"The freshman class of Toronto Maple Leafs, 2009-2010, has been well-schooled. At their Huntsville retreat earlier this week, coach Ron Wilson distributed a Leafs tract – all things Blue & White – and then subjected players to a franchise quiz. "I think I did pretty well,'' says Mike Komisarek, a key free agent acquisition over the summer, as he – American fellow – tosses off such heralded names as Turk Broda. "We learned about the honoured players, the retired players and the history of Toronto's Stanley Cup teams.''"

Komisarek Olympic-bound

August 20

Toronto Sun

"Mike Komisarek, the new Maple Leafs defenceman, is considered among the "14-to-16 locks" who will be named to the U.S. Olympic hockey team in late December. While no one will come out and identify the orientation camp players who are all but certain to be playing for Team USA in Vancouver, general manager Brian Burke admitted yesterday that more than two-thirds of the team has basically been selected and another Team USA source was clear that Komisarek would be on that list of sure things. "You can pencil in the locks now," said Burke, not pencilling them himself. "I'd say the rest of that team is wide open and not just with the players that are here, but with other American players who"

Toughing it out

July 3

Toronto Sun

"Mike Komisarek's eye looked like a bruised grapefruit. Less than 24 hours earlier, the gritty Montreal Canadiens defenceman had been decked by a Milan Lucic uppercut to the face, one of many Habs lowlights on a night they would be swept out of the playoffs by the hated Boston Bruins. Now, as the Canadiens gathered for their end-of-the-season meetings with the press, Komisarek's right eye is almost completely swollen shut, the surrounding skin an ugly mixture of yellow and purple. "Hey guys, can you please try to get my good side," he jokes with nearby photographers who are clamouring to shoot the puffy welt."