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TORONTO - The Toronto Maple Leafs might finally get a look at the player who is expected to spearhead the franchise's turnaround.

Phil Kessel skated as part of a line at practice Monday and will likely play his first game in blue and white against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday (Rogers Sportsnet, 8:30 p.m. AT).

The team wasn't planning to release the results of an examination on Kessel's injured shoulder until Tuesday's morning skate, but everyone involved seemed to expect the 22-year-old to be in the lineup against Tampa.

It's an opportunity he's been anxiously waiting for.

"If I play, I'm going to be pretty excited," Kessel said Monday.

This will be no ordinary debut.

Leafs GM Brian Burke had to surrender three top draft picks - a first- and second-rounder in 2010 and a first-rounder in 2011 - to bring Kessel over from Boston in September.

Not only is he expected to be one of the Leafs' top players, he's joining a team that has just one victory in 12 games so far. Kessel believes he's ready to deal with the expectations.

"There's always pressure when you play hockey," he said. "You don't feel it (because of the draft picks he was traded for), you just feel it because you want to help the team win, get in the playoffs or at least compete for a playoff spot. I think we've been playing better the last four or five games here, so I think things are starting to turn around."

Kessel is going to be counted on to help expedite that turnaround by becoming an offensive catalyst for the team.

He scored 36 goals for the Bruins last season while skating alongside talented playmaker Marc Savard. Even though the Leafs can't give him that kind of linemate - he was paired with Matt Stajan and Jason Blake during Monday's practice - Kessel doesn't expect his production to dip in Toronto.