Eyes On Isles
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Islanders: 5 highlights that define Leo Komarov’s time with Isles

By Michel Anderson

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 31: Leo Komarov #47 of the New York Islanders fends off the Boston Bruins during the second period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden on May 31, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 31: Leo Komarov #47 of the New York Islanders fends off the Boston Bruins during the second period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden on May 31, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Leo Komarov #47 of the New York Islanders handles the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Leo Komarov #47 of the New York Islanders handles the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

Multitalented

In the bubble much was made of the Islanders players bringing guitars with them. There were at least four players that brought guitars with them to the Toronto bubble. Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle were two of those players.

The musicians on the team were going to jam out inside the bubble as they were forced to stay together and severely limit their movements but also find ways to entertain themselves between games and practice. And while Leo Komarov wasn’t seen with a guitar the veteran showed he can play music too; given the right instrument.

Thanks to former Islander Andrew Ladd for documenting the Toronto bubble through TikTok and capturing this moment of Leo Komarov tickling the ivories.

And Leo’s talents don’t end there. The man is also a talented linguist. By all accounts, he’s fluent in four to five different languages. We know he can speak English, Russian, Swedish, and of course Finnish.

With those four languages, Leo can already communicate fluently with pretty much anyone in the NHL. (Sorry, French-Canadiens.) It may not seem like much, but that’s a wildly valuable skill in an NHL dressing room. Combined with his reported “easy-to-talk-to” demeanor being able to communicate with just about anyone can easily cut any awkwardness in a dressing-room caused by language barriers.

Oh, and then there’s the obvious hockey talent. I know he was a bottom-six player for the Isles, but he’s still an NHL player. Not everyone gets to play in the NHL. It takes a certain amount of talent to get there.

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