The Toronto Maple Leafs face the prospect of yet another serious injury to defenseman Chris Tanev.
A collective groan went out among Leafs Nation when the veteran defenseman left in the first period of Saturday night’s win against the Colorado Avalanche .
The team called it an upper-body injury, with this being the suspected play that led to the injury.
Now, one notable expert has stepped in to shed some light on the situation. According to renowned sports and rehab specialist, Darren McConaghy, Saturday night’s incident could have triggered a reaction to last year’s surgery that sidelined Tanev for practically the entire season.
Now, there are a couple of things to unpack here.
First, the check from Artturi Lehkonen could have led to a new ailment, something along the lines of a broken rib or tissue damage in the ribcage area. All situations are painful and could have led to Tanev’s removal for precautionary measures.
However, the Maple Leafs blueliner could have re-aggravated last season’s injury, that is, the core muscle injury that led to surgery. Since there is no telling where the precise injury occurred last season, this particular incident leaves a lot of question marks.
Tanev Could Be Out Long-Term Again
If the injury turns out to be a major re-aggravation of last year’s core muscle situation, the timeline could range from day-to-day to another extended absence. If the latter is the case, the Maple Leafs could find themselves missing their best shutdown defenseman for yet another prolonged absence.
All of this is supposition, of course. Maple Leafs coach Jim Hiller did not provide an immediate update, though some reports indicate that Tanev seemed well enough.
Saw Tanev walking around, talking to teammates postgame in his suit.
That’s a positive sign, though it could just add to the intrigue. The expectation is that Tanev will be all right, even if he has to miss a couple of games to recover from the hit. Unfortunately, that’s part of the territory that comes with playing the short of style that the 36-year-old has played his entire career.
Still, the Maple Leafs will be hopeful that Tanev won’t be sidelined for too long, if at all.
Maple Leafs Pulled Out Solid Effort Against Colorado
Interestingly enough, Hiller went with a seven-defensemen setup on Saturday night. That move came in handy as Tanev’s absence allowed the Maple Leafs to play with six blueliners instead of five. The move helped the club keep the powerful Avalanche offense back.
In the end, the Maple Leafs skated away with a 6-3 on the heels of a five-point night by William Nylander and a four-point effort by Auston Matthews. The team played well all around, even if it was without Tanev.
Moving forward, the momentum built by a strong game against Vegas and a massive win in Colorado should bode well for the Leafs as they head to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Mammoth. With the game set for next Tuesday, Tanev will hopefully be ready to the matchup.
Perhaps the team can provide a more solid update on Sunday, as the club travels to its next destination.
Maple Leafs Face Another Serious Tanev Injury, Expert Says