Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek addressed a report out of St. Louis this weekend that suggested that he would welcome a trade out of Toronto.
Andy Strickland, a St. Louis-based reporter, tweeted on Saturday, "Mike Komisarek gave Leafs a list of 12 teams he'd accept a trade to but I'm told he'd pretty much accept a trade anywhere. Wants to play."
Komisarek, who has been a healthy scratch for the past 14 games, discussed the report with the media on Sunday.
"I'm not going to be commenting on what someone in St. Louis said so I don't even know the guy or why he said that," said Komisarek. "So I know the media types will like to say, 'A report, an anonymous report,' I'm curious to see where you guys get your stuff. That's all I can say at this time."
Komisarek did suggest that he was amused by the flurry of interest in him.
"It must be a slow news day," he said.
Strickland also tweeted, "Even if Leafs took back 50 per cent of Komisarek salary not sure teams are lining up to take that contract...compliance buyout seems more likely."
The 31-year-old, who has no points in four games for Toronto this season, has a modified no-trade clause. He is in the fourth season of a five-year, $22.5 million contract, with an annual cap hit of $4.5 million.
Komisarek commented on the difficulty of watching games from the press box.
"You want to play, you want to contribute, that's the biggest thing. You don't want to be a passenger," explained Komisarek. "You want to be helping the team out and I can just worry about what I can control and that's come to the rink and keep a positive attitude and sure as well got to be ready if an opportunity comes when and where that it is who knows.
"We'll see how it unfolds. Right now I'm just taking it day by day. Well see how it unfolds."
Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle was asked about how veterans John-Michael Liles and Komisarek are responding to being healthy scratches.
"They've handled it like most professionals. There hasn't been one iota of negativity from either of those gentlemen."
- With files from TSN reporter Mark Masters
