Maple Leafs' Robidas hopes to make preseason debut Friday: 'I expect to be ready for that first game'

Stephane Robidas is eyeing Friday's preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings for his debut appearance in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, but the veteran defenseman's top priority remains being ready for the start of the regular season.

"I feel great on the ice," Robidas told TSN. "The plan is to play the game Friday against Detroit and after that we've got a few more practices with the team. I expect to be ready for that first game."

Robidas is recovering from breaking the same leg twice - in two different locations - last season, an injury that led to some speculation his days in the NHL could be over.

"When it happened I didn't really know what to say," Robidas said. "There's things you control and there's other things that you don't control and that's one of those that I had no control over that. I did the proper rehab, I did everything I had to do and it was just an accident."

Robidas is expected to play on the Maple Leafs top defensive pair with captain Dion Phaneuf.