Leafs recall veteran forward and fan-favourite ahead of Tuesday's Game 1 against Tampa

Now that the NHL's regular season is over, there is no longer a salary cap in effect. That means the Leafs no longer have to play cap gymnastics to ice a full roster. With no more cap issues, the Leafs recalled a veteran forward ahead of today's optional practice.

Wayne Simmonds rejoined the Leafs today after being sent down to make room for the team to sign Matthew Knies last weekend. The Leafs did right by Simmonds and let him play in the final home game against Montreal in case he went unused in the playoffs. While he's still likely to be the 13th or 14th forward, there is still an outside chance that the Leafs dress him for Game 1, as it is likely to be a rough one as both teams look to set the tone for the series.

Simmonds was used sparingly this season by the Leafs only appearing in 18 games. There could be a benefit here, being that he doesn't have a lot of wear and tear on his body from the season. We all know that injuries arise in the playoffs and thankfully the team will have no shortage of bodies. Maybe, just maybe, Simmonds will get his shot to have an impact at some point in these playoffs.

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