Maple Leafs use compliance buyout on Mike Komisarek
Defenceman struggled through injuries, inconsistencies in Toronto
The Mike Komisarek era is over in Toronto.
On Tuesday, the Maple Leafs used one of their compliance buyouts on the seldom-used defenceman, making him available to sign with any team when free agency officially opens on Friday.
The final year of his five-year, $22.5-million US contract won't count against the Leafs' salary cap. Toronto will save $4.5 milllion in cap space as a result.
Komisarek, 31, suffered through injuries and inconsistencies during his tenure in Toronto, and struggled to live up to expectations after signing the deal with the Leafs as a free agent before the 2009-10 season.
In 2009-10, the West Islip, N.Y., native was held to just 34 games due to injuries and was a minus-9. The former first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens (seventh overall in 2001) has 14 goals and 77 points in 519 career regular-season games with the Canadiens and Leafs.
He was placed on waivers by the Leafs in March and was sent down to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL after going unclaimed.