The Toronto Maple Leafs have apparently decided that Roman Polak is healthy enough to return to the NHL, as they have signed the veteran defenseman to a one-year, $1.1MM contract. Polak had been practicing with the team all season after rehabbing from a broken leg suffered in the playoffs last year. The team is currently carrying 23 men on their roster, meaning a corresponding move will be coming to make room for Polak.
After the nasty injury he suffered against the Washington Capitals, it always seemed like Polak would eventually sign with the Maple Leafs once again. Attending training camp on a professional tryout and even practicing with the minor league Marlies when Toronto was on the road, Polak will now be under contract and can immediately be inserted into the lineup for Mike Babcock. The coach has always been a big fan of Polak’s hard-nosed approach, and after the Maple Leafs were unable to break down the Ottawa Senators’ trap on Saturday night could look to go a different direction on the back end.
While Polak plays the right side and would likely be inserted over Connor Carrick if anything, one of Calle Rosen or Andreas Borgman would likely be the roster casualty as both are waiver-exempt. Both young Swedes have had moments of success and failure so far, while they rotated through the lineup.
Polak, coming off a $2.25MM salary will take a hefty pay cut to stay with the Maple Leafs this season. As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet points out, he’ll make just under $1MM in actual salary as his deal will be prorated for the remaining days in the season. That number makes it more than palatable for the Maple Leafs who continue to operate in the room created by long-term injured reserve. Rosen and Borgman are each on maximum entry-level contracts ($925K) meaning Polak will incur almost no extra cap hit once the switch is made.
Never an offensive player, Polak nevertheless contributes as an excellent penalty killer and provides a level of physicality both on and off the ice. A notoriously hard worker in the weight room and in practice, Babcock has continually sung his praises over the years. The Maple Leafs have been leaning heavily on Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev for almost all of their penalty killing, something they’ll be able to spread out a little more with Polak’s return.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Good to bring his back for cheap.
Ps: Spelling error first sentence last paragraph.
Why so picky? Did Toronto just bring Polak’s back to the team? No wonder it was for cheap.
He’s a very underrated player. A solid move by the Leafs.
He’s not that good. There’s a reason no one signed him until now.
Hal, you made a correct statement by saying that Polak is a very underrated player. It is too bad that his injury from last year prevented Toronto from signing him earlier. Most teams would love to have Polak playing on their third pairing. Mike Babcock is very hard to impress & Babcock loves this guy. So, as you have said, this is a very solid move by Toronto to keep Polak & his very consistent, defensive & physical game on the team. A very good & smart signing.