Polak, Laich comeback codgers
Leafs defenceman, Kings forward wouldn’t give up on a return to the NHL
It would have been tempting to write off Roman Polak and Brooks Laich as NHLers. Nice things would have had said about their careers — 634 NHL games for Polak, 762 for Laich — had they decided to retire.
But there is something about the game that made it hard for both to leave, and something in their inner will to make them keep at it even though there was no contract and little interest from the NHL’s 31 teams.
Yet there they were Monday. The 31-year-old Polak was back with on the Leafs’ blue line after recuperating from a horrific leg injury suffered in April, and Laich, 34, was back in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings, after a year spent toiling with the Toronto Marlies.
Both thought there was a time they might not get back.
“Basically every day,” said Polak, who signed a $1.1-million (U.S.) deal this week. “You never know. I tried to remain positive. Kept it positive every day. I could have waited another two weeks, and if I don’t see any interest around the league, I would probably just be . . .”
He didn’t finish the thought. Laich had similar feelings.
“I won’t say it never crossed my mind, but I never believed (I wouldn’t return to the NHL),” Laich said. “I believed I still had a voice in the conversation. My health is 100 per cent. I had some great development with (Marlies skills coach) Mike Ellis. Put in hours before practice, after practice. The thing when you don’t play is it affords you lots of time to practise and reintroduce elements of my game that maybe had slipped out.”
Laich hadn’t played in the NHL since the end of the 2015-16 season with the Leafs. They sent him to the Marlies last year, and the Marlies sent him home to California in April so he could to recover from surgery. He played 27 games with the Marlies.
In Laich’s case, he signed a oneyear, $650,000 deal after the Kings lost Jeff Carter to an ankle injury. He played Saturday against Columbus.
“After I signed the contract I had moment of reflection and gratitude,” Laich said. “It was a pretty sweet moment in my life. I was grateful for the challenges I went through when I was here in Toronto, because it made that moment so much sweeter, the ability to keep my dream, and keep developing, and keep fighting for another chance to say that I’m not finished.”
Leafs coach Mike Babcock wanted Polak back for a number of reasons, primarily because he’s a quality penalty killer and can ease the load on fellow blueliner Nikita Zaitsev. And he’s big.
“We’re not big on the back, we’re not heavy on the back, we’re not mean back there,” Babcock said. “The other thing we were concerned about is we get Zaitsev, who’s not a monster of a man — he’s a real good player and all that — but if we get his minutes up too high he’s going to get hurt.”
Polak will slip in on the third pairing, starting with rookie Andreas Borgman. Connor Carrick will see his playing time reduced. And Calle Rosen could get some playing time with Polak if he is recalled from the Marlies.
“Whether you’re Carrick or you’re Borgman or you’re Rosen, when you stand next to (Polak) or Ron Hainsey or someone who tells you what to do every second you’re on the ice, it’s just a comforting feeling,” Babcock said. “It helps you become a better player. That’s why it’s always nice to break in when you play with somebody who has got some experience and knows what to do when they’re out there.”
His teammates were glad to see Polak back, especially goalie Frederik Andersen, who likes that Polak blocks shots and clears bodies in front of him.
“He’s really strong. Boxes out hard,” Andersen said. “He’s worked really hard to get back from his injury. It shows a lot of character. It’s good for the group, too.
“He’s very calm around everyone and he knows how to play and he knows his role out there. In the locker room, he can be vocal. Definitely a veteran guy to look up to.”
Laich, married to actress Julianne Hough and based in Los Angeles, had targeted the Kings as the team he wanted to play for. Polak had targeted the Leafs.
“I wanted to sign here,” said Polak. “I wanted to stay with the boys. I like the boys. I like the team, what we have right now. I’m just glad it all worked out.”