Luleå has been looking for a new top forward since key players Linus Omark and Pontus Andreasson left the club after last year’s season. Now the SHL finalist from Norrbotten has brought in Leo Komarov on a one-year contract.
“He has been one of our priority players since the end of June. So after a long process we are finally at the goal and it feels very good,” says Luleå’s general manager Stefan “Skuggan” Nilsson to the club’s website.
The Finnish ice hockey forward has played around 500 NHL games for Toronto and the New York Islanders. Last season he played mainly in the KHL for SKA St. Petersburg and he was part of winning Olympic gold with Finland.
He also has a WC gold from 2011.
“Before the decision, I have spoken to the Finnish players in the team and to (Linus) Omark and (Sami) Lepistö to hear what they think about the association. And they have only had good things to say, which made my head turn north towards Norrbotten,” says Komarov.