David Clarkson and Tyler Bozak were both on the ice for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday but neither player will be in the team's first preseason game Monday night in London, Ont.

Both veterans missed the first few sessions of the Leafs' training camp with undisclosed injuries. Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle said the earliest either Bozak or Clarkson will play is Wednesday's game against the Ottawa Senators but a more likely return is Friday in Buffalo against the Sabres.

Clarkson, 30, is especially eager to get back in action. His first season as a Maple Leaf was a disaster, as he drew a 10-game suspension during a preseason game for coming off the bench to join a fight on the ice. That stalled his 2013-14 NHL regular season and he never seemed to mesh with his new team. He finished with five goals and six assists in 60 games, well off the pace of the 15 goals in 48 games and 30 goals in 80 games he scored the previous two seasons for the New Jersey Devils.

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While another 30-goal season is unlikely since Clarkson will never get the power-play time he did in New Jersey, the Leafs expect him to earn his $5.2-million (U.S.) annual salary by finally getting down to his rough-edged game along the boards and in front of the net. The Leafs brass will probably be happy with something approaching 20 goals but Carlyle cautioned reporters Monday about expectations for Clarkson.

"We've stated before on David Clarkson, this is a reset button being pushed," the coach said. "He's been set back by an injury obviously. We're looking for him to come back in and be David Clarkson, nothing more, nothing less.

The Leafs made their first cuts of training camp on Monday morning. None of them were unexpected, although it was a mild surprise that defenceman Matt Finn was sent to the Toronto Marlies. He was a second-round pick in the 2012 NHL entry draft and it was thought he would last a little longer in camp.

Also sent to the Marlies were forwards Stefan Della Rovere, Brett Findlay, Spencer Machacek, Ryan Rupert, Francis Wathier and Patrick Watling. Forwards Matt Rupert and Carter Verhaeghe and defenceman Cody Donaghey were returned to their junior clubs.

The Leafs will play the Philadelphia Flyers in the preseason opener for both teams. Neither of the Leafs' top two goaltenders, Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer, will play in the game. Christopher Gibson and Cal Heeter will get the call.