Galchenyuk to clear NHL protocols on Thursday, eligible to join Leafs; several possible scenarios

The Toronto Maple Leafs' newest acquisition, journeyman forward Alex Galchenyuk, has been cleared to join the team on Thursday, which is when he clears the NHL's protocols, per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Galchenyuk comes into Toronto with expectations relatively low in comparison to what they were when he was drafted third overall by the Montreal Canadiens back in 2012, and also compared to what they were when he was dealt to Arizona, Pittsburgh and Minnesota to a degree.

Despite having moved around a lot during his 9-year NHL career, interestingly enough, Galchenyuk's offensive production is actually pretty good considering. The 27-year-old has registered 136 goals and 321 points in 557 career NHL games, which averages out to just over a half a point per game - so, he's certainly an above-average point producer. His defensive game, however, is a completely different story, and something he will have to work on if he hopes to find a regular spot in the Leafs' lineup.

Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe touched on Galchenyuk's skill set briefly on Wednesday, adding that he definitely does see potential - though he did acknowledge that he knows that the veteran winger has struggled with his play away from the puck and that there is some work that needs to be done there.

So what can we realistically expect from Galchenyuk with the Leafs, his 7th team in 4 years? That's a bit of a trickier answer.

There is always a chance that Galchenyuk was acquired specifically to take up mantle on the taxi squad as a low-cost, utility forward with a healthy amount of NHL experience, in case of injury. There is some evidence to support that theory, given his having cleared waivers prior to the Leafs trading for him.

There's also a chance that he factors into the Leafs' plans in a bottom-six role on a consistent basis, provided he commits to playing on both sides of the puck and doesn't quit on plays or shy away from the tougher areas. If he slacks in those areas, the Leafs certainly have depth options who will be ready to step right in and take Galchenyuk's place in the lineup.

Perhaps the most intriguing, albeit the most unlikely scenario would be to have Galchenyuk audition for a role on the 2nd line with John Tavares and William Nylander. His production certainly does fit that of a top-six winger, but is he really that big of an upgrade - or even an upgrade at all - over Jimmy Vesey or Ilya Mikheyev?

There's definitely a lot of reason for intrigue here, and with the move being entirely low-risk, due to the Leafs' ability to bury his contract in the minors should his performance underwhelm the coaching staff, the potential reward could be enormous.

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