To not bore you with every single word of the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, or even the nuances of specific sections, Article 34.6 outlines that teams are to see through the injury recoveries of their players, and that it’s up to both sides to decide whether the team will rehab the player or whether they can go to an equivalent place in another spot with the team paying the expenses. As well, Exhibit 1, which is the template of a Standard Player’s Contract, goes into heavy detail in point 5 about the team’s responsibilities to oversee the recovery of a player injured while under contract.
With that in mind, it goes without saying that Polak was injured while under contract with the Maple Leafs, and as such, it’s up to them to either oversee his recovery or at least fund and approve of it. As such, it’s not very shocking that Polak’s rehabbing in Leafs gear (not to mention, it’s probably the only gear he owns a significant supply of after playing a good 70% of his hockey here over the past three years).