The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in a tense situation as they await the return of their defensive stalwart, Chris Tanev. With the playoffs on the horizon, every game matters, and Tanev's absence has been a glaring issue for the team. As they gear up to face the Florida Panthers on Thursday, all eyes are on whether Tanev will be back on the ice or remain sidelined with his upper-body injury.
Will Chris Tanev play against the Panthers?
Tanev sustained an upper-body injury after a hard but clean first-period hit into the boards by Johnny Beecher. The collision forced the defenseman to leave the game early, and he has now missed six games. The Leafs have struggled without Tanev, losing three straight games before securing a win against the Utah Hockey Club in overtime.
"He’s close, I’d say. He’s getting better. He’s improving every day. We’ll just have to see. I don’t really have a timeline yet," Berube stated. "It’s day-to-day here, and we’ll make a decision tomorrow and see how he feels."
Chris Tanev practiced on Wednesday, but his status for Thursday's game remains uncertain. He has been out since Feb. 25 with an upper-body injury. Toronto placed him on injured reserve before the trade deadline on March 7. He has played 57 games this season, recording two goals and 17 points.
In his previous update before Monday's game against Utah, Berube said: "He's going through practice, and he's not where he wants to be. We gotta be careful with this situation. It's unfortunate because we do miss him. He's a big part of our team, but at the same time, we want to do what's best for the player and the player's gotta do what's best for himself." (via: Sportskeeda)
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Tanev has a plus-minus rating of plus-26, and his Maple Leafs teammates recognize his importance to the team.
“Starts in the D-zone a lot of times and doesn’t care. Doesn't complain about it. Just does his job. And he's a guy that you love to have on your team and in the locker room,” Mitch Marner mentioned following his injury, via Sportsnet.
NHL insider Nick Kypreos believes the Maple Leafs need Chris Tanev to be healthy to succeed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Tanev was expected to return against Colorado but remained out. With fewer than 20 games left, Kypreos sees his absence as a major concern.
"We're not even sure what's going on with Tanev... (He is) questionable for Thursday against Florida. And it’s not going well," Kypreos said." ... your best and most reliable defenseman has a questionable injury. Yeah, that’s not a good sign for a team."
Toronto added Brandon Carlo at the trade deadline to help strengthen the defense. The Leafs will decide on Tanev's return before Thursday's game. His comeback could be the boost they need to solidify their defense and build momentum as they approach the postseason.
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