When Mikhail Grabovski broke his wrist on Jan. 2, the Maple Leafs were a fairly veteran team with designs on a playoff spot and the forward positioned as a middle-of-the-pack scorer.

He's set to return Tuesday against the Boston Bruins with the Leafs reduced by trades to the youngest club in the NHL, stuck in 29th place and him their third-highest scorer by default. So count the 26-year-old among those in dire need of a strong finish in the remaining 17 games.

Grabovski also is trying to get back in general manager Brian Burke's good books after a scrape with the law in Vancouver during the Olympics, an alleged role in a street brawl. Burke did not mince words at the time about Grabovski needing to smarten up if he wanted a future with the Leafs.