The Toronto Maple Leafs got highly encouraging news regarding an injured defenseman on Saturday. Leafs blueliner Chris Tanev hit the ice for the first time in a week. Tanev sustained a horrific injury last Saturday night in Philadelphia, stemming from a collision with Flyers forward Matvei Michkov.
Maple Leafs reporter Mark Masters shared a clip of Tanev on the ice, though the veteran defenseman is nowhere near ready to return to game action.
Here’s a look at Tanev on the ice:
Medical staff carried the 35-year-old off the ice on a stretcher. The medical attention came as an abundance of caution, with Tanev giving the thumbs up as he left the ice. He was then taken to a Philadelphia-area hospital for observation.
Initial reports indicated that Tanev did not sustain any serious injuries. The Maple Leafs blueliner got his discharge and returned to Toronto for further evaluations. Toronto placed Tanev on Injured Reserve on November 2 with an undisclosed injury.
Based on the circumstances, it seems Tanev is back on concussion protocol. Earlier this season, Tanev spent time on concussion protocol after exiting the Maple Leafs’ October 21 contest against the New Jersey Devils.
Tanev returned briefly, only to go down once again. The veteran D-man has a history of concussion issues. While he has remained relatively healthy over the last couple of seasons, Tanev has run into injury woes this season.
Maple Leafs Miss Tanev on Blue Line
In his absence, the Maple Leafs have turned to depth blueliners Philippe Myers and Dakota Mermis. However, the depth blueliners have not fared all too well. They have been on the wrong end of some dubious plays.
Moreover, the Maple Leafs have lost the shutdown duo that Tanev made up with Jake McCabe. The club has missed Tanev’s physicality through its current three-game winning streak.
Fortunately for Toronto, the team’s overall play has made up for some defensive gaps. Goaltender Anthony Stolarz has played some of his best hockey over the last couple of weeks. He’s been a major difference in helping the Leafs rebound from a subpar start in October.
The Maple Leafs are now within striking distance of first place in the Atlantic Division, trailing the Montreal Canadiens by three points. Once Tanev hopefully returns, he could give Toronto the boost it needs to get back atop the division.
Toronto Should Look for Depth Defensive Help
Tanev’s injury has exposed the relative lack of defensive depth the Maple Leafs have. While Myers and Mermis have been serviceable blueliners, they haven’t been the most reliable. So, the club should look into additional defensive help.
While the market isn’t the most conducive to trades at this point, the Leafs could find some value later on in the season. Most importantly, the Maple Leafs should look into teams potentially ready to punt on the season.
At this point, teams like the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames emerge as teams looking to move contracts out. Perhaps the Leafs could look at the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers reportedly have a glut of defensemen they’ll be looking to move out.
That situation could present an opportunity to add some decent defensive depth.
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