Counting on Connolly

Finally, a little good news for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

When the Leafs took to the ice for practice Monday at MasterCard Centre, there was injured centre Tim Connolly flying around the ice. He claims he's still not 100 per cent, but he looked pretty good.

Good enough to suit up for Tuesday's home encounter with the Phoenix Coyotes? He didn't rule it out, but the feeling is he'll probably return from his upper body injury Thursday when the Maple Leafs travel to Nashville.

"Right now it's day-to-day," Connolly said. "I obviously wasn't 100 per cent out there today, but I felt pretty good. We'll just see how I feel tomorrow."

Asked specifically what felt a little off, Connolly replied: "Skating … shooting; it's just not quite all there. I can't get up to full speed or get a full shot, but I'm not too far away."

Connolly arrived in Toronto having signed for two years as an unrestricted free agent this past summer with a reputation for being injury prone. Thus far he has done nothing to shed that image. Connolly missed Toronto's first eight games with a shoulder injury after crashing into the boards at practice; dressed for six games scoring a goal and three assists and has missed the past three games with what is suspected to be sore ribs.

When he's healthy, Connolly skates on the team's No. 1 unit between wingers Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. In Connolly's absence, Tyler Bozak has filled in. Bozak has played okay, but with 10 years experience during which time he has scored 119 goals and 399 points, Connolly is the preferred option.

"I thought Bozie played really well the other night, but because Tim is a much more experienced player he can do some things that Bozie probably can't do," said coach Ron Wilson. "The one area Bozie is better at, not so much this year because he's had a minor injury that has prevented him from winning more faceoffs, but he's better in the faceoff circle than Tim is."

Strangely, it isn't Connolly's offence that tips the scales in his favor, but his defence. Lupul mentioned Monday how pleasantly surprised he was with Connolly's attention to detail in the defensive zone and Wilson confirmed it.

"It does get overlooked," Wilson said. "That's where Tim is probably much stronger and it's due to experience and probably from playing for a very defensive-minded team in Buffalo. He does have the D-zone coverage pretty much nailed. That's something Bozie is still working on."

Connolly believes his defensive contributions are his top priority playing on a line with Kessel, the NHL's leading scorer with 12 goals and 24 points, and Lupul, who ranks ninth with nine goals and 19 points.

"First and foremost for me its playing defence; it's about being a two-way player and taking care of my own end," Connolly said. "I keep it simple. I won't be overly aggressive in my own game. I try to play more of a positional game. You want to be good stick-on-stick; read the plays and try to get into shot lanes to block shots. Then when I get the puck I give it to those guys and try to join in on the offence."

While the Leafs are eagerly anticipating Connolly's return, be it Tuesday or Thursday, they know when he gets back into the lineup there might not be magic right away. It took him a few games the last time to kick it into gear.

"It's tough for him because I think he was just starting to hit his stride," Lupul said. "I think it'll take him two or three or four games to get back when you're coming back from an injury. He was probably feeling like it was training camp; you're sore and tired. He's just starting to get over that and he goes out again. I feel for him. He's probably pretty frustrated, but he's worked pretty hard and has kept himself in shape. I suspect it'll take him a game or two again to get back up to full speed."

Connolly has maintained a good attitude while he has been sidelined, trying not to get too far down in the dumps.

"Right when it happened it was a little bit frustrating, but after that you have to battle mentally and be mentally strong and positive because being negative won't do you any good," he said. "You come to the arena and work hard and try to have fun. Everybody always wants to play every game and to be in there for your team. That's why we play; because we love it. I love it. It's my favorite thing to do; to play hockey. I'll be itching to get back out there."

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy will cover the Toronto Maple Leafs for sportsnet.ca for the 2011/12 season.