Grabovski excited for return to Toronto with Capitals

TORONTO -- When the Toronto Maple Leafs face the Washington Capitals at Air Canada Centre on Saturday night, it will mark Mikhail Grabovski’s first game in Toronto since being bought out by the Maple Leafs in July.

"Oh yeah, he's very excited," Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said about Grabovski playing against his old team. "He told me it's a strange feeling to come back in a different way, different locker room. He's excited. It's nice to see the guy who wants to improve and wants to show how good he is."

Grabovski is third on the Capitals with 19 points, trailing Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. He struggled last season with the Maple Leafs, collecting 16 points in 48 games.

"He's done a great job, he really has," Capitals coach Adam Oates said. "Anytime you make a change, for him coming to a new system, new team, it takes a little while to get going. I think what really helped him was obviously opening night, he had a great night. Since then, he's fit in with his linemates and done a great job."

The Capitals held an optional morning skate following their 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Washington on Friday. There will be at least one change in the lineup: Eric Fehr will play and Martin Erat will be a healthy scratch.

"It was time for [Fehr] to get a game, [Erat]'s been fighting it a little bit, in my mind," Oates said. "Sometimes when you sit up top you get a fresh perspective. It's not permanent, just trying to shake it up a little bit."

Braden Holtby was the first goalie off at morning skate and figures to get the start. Michal Neuvirth took the loss against the Canadiens.

The Maple Leafs will have a couple changes to their lineup: Forward Trevor Smith will likely be out in favor of Frazer McLaren. Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said defenseman Mark Fraser was "probably very probable" to play. His return comes after missing the past two games with a lower-body injury.

Defenseman Morgan Rielly took rushes on the second power play unit during the morning skate, meaning Paul Ranger could be scratched.

James Reimer was the first goalie off and will likely start against the Capitals. Jonathan Bernier has started four of the last five games.

Here are the projected lineups for the Capitals and Maple Leafs:

CAPITALS

Marcus Johansson – Nicklas Backstrom – Alex Ovechkin

Jason Chimera – Brooks Laich – Joel Ward

Eric Fehr – Mikhail Grabovski – Troy Brouwer

Aaron Volpatti – Michael Latta – Tom Wilson

Karl Alzner – John Carlson

Nate Schmidt – Mike Green

Alexander Urbom – Tyson Strachan

Braden Holtby

Michal Neuvirth

Scratched: Martin Erat, Jay Beagle, Steve Oleksy

Injured: John Erskine (upper body), Jack Hillen (broken leg )

MAPLE LEAFS

James van Riemsdyk – Peter Holland – Phil Kessel

Joffrey Lupul – Nazem Kadri – David Clarkson

Mason Raymond – Jay McClement – Nikolai Kulemin

Frazer McLaren – Jerred Smithson – Colton Orr

Carl Gunnarsson – Dion Phaneuf

Jake Gardiner – Cody Franson

Mark Fraser – Morgan Rielly

James Reimer

Jonathan Bernier

Scratched: Trevor Smith, Paul Ranger

Injured: Tyler Bozak (hamstring), Dave Bolland (ankle)