Mike Komisarek will return to the Toronto lineup on Monday night when the Maple Leafs host Buffalo.Claus Andersen
Mike Komisarek is working toward a return for the Toronto Maple Leafs game on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks but it may be a matter of playing with his shoulder injury rather than a complete recovery.
Last week, the Leafs defenceman paid a visit to famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., to get an opinion on his shoulder, which he injured on Jan. 2. No one is saying what Dr. Andrews told Komisarek but judging by what he was saying yesterday Komisarek may have been given the options of having surgery or playing with the injury once the pain was manageable and postponing surgery until the NHL season is over.
In any event, Komisarek will try and play by Saturday, motivated by a desire to get back on the ice for the Leafs and, in several weeks, to play for the United States at the Olympics.
"I'm doing everything I can to get back on the ice rehab-wise, treatment wise," Komisarek said Monday. "I'm a player who prides himself on being on the ice, practicing with the guys and playing through injuries. This is more serious but I want to be out there.
"I don't like sitting. I've never missed more than three weeks. I want to be out there, I want to be contributing to the Toronto Maple Leafs. If I do that, then I have a chance to go to Vancouver [for the Olympics]and then finish the season but right now my priority is the Toronto Maple Leafs."
The Leafs were followed on the ice at their practice rink by the Los Angeles Kings, who are their opponents Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre.
That resulted in a little scene that may or may not have been gamesmanship. The Zamboni left the ice before it was completely resurfaced for the Kings, who then stepped on the ice.
The Kings were told the Zamboni would not finish the job until Wilson's media scrum was finished. He does his scrum next to the ice surface and the idea was that the Zamboni would make too much noise.
However, the Kings, spurred on by defenceman Sean O'Donnell, made a lot of noise of their own. They banged their sticks on the ice in unison as Wilson finished his scrum.
There did not appear to be any hard feelings, though, as Wilson had a quick word with Kings coach Terry Murray.