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Toronto Maple Leafs: What to do with the UFAs this offseason?

By James Reeve

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 17: Tyler Bozak #42 of the Toronto Maple Leafs gets set for a faceoff against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on March 17, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 4-0. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 17: Tyler Bozak #42 of the Toronto Maple Leafs gets set for a faceoff against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on March 17, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canadiens 4-0. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – MARCH 10: Roman Polak #46 of the Toronto Maple Leafs battles against the Pittsburgh Penguins during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on March 10, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Penguins 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Roman Polak

Roman Polak is arguably one of the most polarising players on the Toronto Maple Leafs, appearing to make extremely questionable decisions one minute and then being a reliable penalty-killing stud the next.

His time on the ice has decreased each season he has been with the Leafs, down to 17:38 from 21:05 since the 2014/15 season.

Polak is a fairly slow skater and also has a poor Corsi this season, with 47.6 percent, but is often put in positions where he will inevitably face more shots.

Despite this, the big-bodied Czech defenceman is a favourite of Babcock’s, who brought him back as part of the team’s bottom pairing and penalty killing unit.

Polak is on a reasonable contract which carries a $1.1 million cap hit, something that makes him a likely candidate to return to the team if no better penalty killing options present themselves in free agency.

His experience in the playoffs will be beneficial for the young Leafs players who have yet to experience a seven-game series, but if a better option is available, then Toronto should really start to look elsewhere.

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