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UPDATE - Leafs send defenseman Andreas Borgman down to the Toronto Marlies.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to activate defenseman Roman Polak from injured reserve, as the veteran is slated to return to the lineup on Monday, as the Leafs take on the Anaheim Ducks at Air Canada Centre in the first of a five-game homestand.
Polak and his family were stricken with the flu last week and the blueliner missed games against the NY Islanders, NY Rangers and Boston, but was back to 100% at Monday's morning skate and going through drills with rookie Travis Dermott.
Leafs head coach Mike Babcock indicated that the 31-year-old was being inserted against the Ducks to help out the Leafs penalty killing, which gave up a pair of power play goals in the 4-1 loss to Boston on Saturday.
GM Lou Lamoriello will have to open up a spot on the club's 23-man roster before game time to activate Polak.
Rookies Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Borgman are waiver exempt, but Kapanen is likely in the starting lineup after skating with Dominic Moore and Leo Komarov on Monday. Borgman and extra defenseman Connor Carrick stayed out on the ice for additional work, along with scratches Matt Martin and Josh Leivo.
Frederik Andersen was in the home net on Monday and is expected to make his league-leading 45th start against his former club. Andersen could play in every game during the upcoming homestand, since there are days off in between every game and Babcock has played his starter in every non back-to-back contest.
Noted Leaf killer Ryan Miller will get the start for the Ducks. The former Buffalo Sabres netminder has a 33-19-3 career record, 2.62 GAA and .918 save percentage in 55 starts vs. Toronto.
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The Maple Leafs have been playing a shell game managing their roster and sheltering players that would likely be claimed on waivers if GM Lou Lamoriello attempted to send them down to the AHL.
With three weeks left before the NHL Trade deadline, some of those players have grown frustrated and either want to play in Toronto or go someplace else. The Leafs continue to use part of their 23-man roster as a taxi squad for players who do not play on a regular basis, but cannot send to the minors because they are not exempt from waivers.
Forward Josh Leivo has played just 25 games over the last two seasons and has not seen action since December 31. On the weekend, reports emanated that the 24-year-old winger had asked to be traded if Toronto would not play him.
"I just want to play hockey. I do want to play for the Maple Leafs, that's why I signed for another year (a one-year extension for $925,000 in November)." Leivo said on Monday. "(25) games in two years is not enough and hopefully I can get in with the team and help them win, but I just need to play."
Russian winger Nikita Soshnikov is in a similar situation, the 24-year-old had a clause in his contract that would allow him to return to the KHL if he was not on an NHL roster by November 15. The Leafs promoted him just prior to the deadline and Soshnikov played three games before suffering an unspecified lower body injury in Carolina on November 24.
Soshnikov agreed to an AHL conditioning stint to get back in game condition and registered two points over the weekend, but once that is completed, Toronto will have to make room for him on the NHL roster or risk placing the winger on waivers.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated that the conditioning stint could be a showcase for a trade prior to the deadline. When asked whether he would accept a similar stint with the Marlies, Leivo said he would probably turn down that request.
"I haven't really thought about that, but I don't think I would. I think I've played enough games in the AHL, I want to play in the NHL now."
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