Ilya Mikheyev feeling 'weird' about his return to Toronto.

Saturday night will be a typical game on the National Hockey League schedule for both the Vancouver Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs, but for one player in particular it will be quite a bit more than that.

For Russian forward Ilya Mikheyev, Saturday night will mark the first time that he has to play against one of his former teams as a professional hockey player. You see in spite of the fact that he is a veteran hockey player at 28 years of age, Mikheyev has never before had to swap teams like he has in the National Hockey League. In the early years of his professional hockey career, Mikheyev played in the Kontinental Hockey League but did so exclusively for one team, Omsk Avangard.

That was true of his NHL career as well up until this past summer when, as an unrestricted free agent, he officially signed a long term contract (4 years x $4.75 million) with rival Canadian franchise, the Vancouver Canucks.

Recently Mikheyev opened up about what will be, for him, a unique challenge in his career and he was quite honest about the fact that this was unfamiliar territory for him.

"I haven't experienced before playing against ex-team," admitted a somewhat uncomfortable looking Mikheyev as per TSN.

When he was asked about being back in Toronto, Mikheyev admitted that it was a strange feeling for him.

"Yeah so weird, but it's life," said Mikheyev.

The talented forward did add however that he was happy to be back in the city itself, despite the uncomfortablness.

"Of course I am happy play again Toronto," said Mikheyev.

Mikheyev also opened up about the fact that, despite his decision to sign with the Canucks, the Maple Leafs organization still means a great deal to him.

"This organization believed in me and gave me chance," said Mikheyev.

"I played here two years, for me it's a lot, but now we play against," he added with a smile.