Maple Leafs HC Jim Hiller Provides Update on Injured Veterans

Getty

Chris Tanev Maple Leafs Jim Hiller John Tavares

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller provided an update on two of the team’s injured players, veterans Chris Tanev and John Tavares.

Tanev has been on the IR since October 12, retroactive to October 10, with an upper-body injury, while Tavares has been on the IR since October 17 with a lower-body injury.

The Maple Leafs are rolling now with four straight wins, but there is no doubt both players returning would strengthen Toronto’s lineup.

So, when are they coming back?

Jim Hiller Gives Update on Chris Tanev & John Tavares

Speaking to reporters at Maple Leafs practice on Sunday, Hiller was asked what the latest injury update on Tanev and Tavares is, and this is what the head coach said.

“It looks like Chris is closer than John is, with him out on the ice (skating). That’s always a good sign when you start seeing the players get on the ice; he’s doing some one-on-ones, not heavy contact, but those are important steps, so we’re happy to have him doing that,” Hiller said.

Maple Leafs Rolling

The Maple Leafs are one of the hottest teams in the league right now as Toronto has won four straight games, including a blowout 7-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night that showed this Toronto team is for real this season.

Captain Auston Matthews is having a bounce-back year, while winger William Nylander just scored his 300th career goal. Goalies Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz have also been fantastic this season in net for Toronto, as both goalies have stopped some key shots by the Maple Leafs’ opponents to keep them in the game.

Obviously, Toronto had a really tough year last season, missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade, which led to the ouster of former GM Brad Treliving and former head coach Craig Berube.

But with Hiller as the team’s new head coach and with new GM John Chayka pulling the strings from the front office, this Maple Leafs team looks legit this year, and they’ll look even better once Tanev and Tavares both get back into the team’s lineup.