The Toronto Maple Leafs were without defenseman Chris Tanev for the majority of last season, as he suffered various injuries that limited him to only 11 games played in 2025-26.
And while he was healthy to begin the current Maple Leafs season, that’s no longer the case. Tanev, who was hurt in Toronto’s recent victory over the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena, has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to October 10, 2026 with an upper-body injury; the club has recalled Marshall Rafai from the American Hockey League affiliate Toronto Marlies.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Have Confirmed Defenseman Chris Tanev Will Be Week To Week With His Latest Injury
The Maple Leafs have confirmed through NHL Insider Mark Masters that Tanev is considered week-to-week with his latest injury setback.
“Leafs announce Chris Tanev is now considered “week-to-week” with an upper-body injury,” Masters wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Fans began to chime in, with some noting that Tanev has essentially been hurt for the entirety of his time with the Maple Leafs since signing as a free agent in the summer of 2025.
“Hasn’t he been week to week pretty much since the day they signed him?” one fan asked.
“Please don’t overreact and trade good futures for some geezer to fill in. This season is not supposed to be a contending one, don’t go nuts,” this fan said.
Another fan said, “Bro is year to year”.
This fan had a message for GM John Chayka, saying, “The depth is not there. John please answer our prayers and acquire the young spark plug D-man that we’ve been needing🙏🏻”
Chris Tanev Underwent Extensive Rehabilitation
After undergoing surgery, Tanev explained prior to the start of Training Camp that he underwent aggressive rehabilitation in order to be in shape to begin 2026-27 on time.
“I still love it. I still love playing. I love being around the guys, and I love working hard,” Tanev said. “So it wasn’t an easy rehab. But I don’t think there was a moment where I said that this is going to be too much for me … I’m confident in all the work I’ve put in, and I feel like I’ve worked extremely hard and I’ve just got to keep checking boxes and get to where I need to be.”
Maple Leafs Confirm Fears On Chris Tanev After Latest Injury