The Toronto Maple Leafs received a roster boost on Friday, one day before facing the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
According to The Hockey News’ David Alter, defenseman Chris Tanev participated fully in the Leafs’ latest practice and was even paired with Morgan Rielly on the second defensive unit.
Here are the line combinations the Leafs worked with during Friday’s practice in Vancouver:
- McKenna-Matthews-Roslovic
- Cowan-Paul-Nylander
- Joshua-Sissons-Lettieri
- Duhaime-Blueger-MacEwen
– - Groulx
- McCabe-Raddysh
- Rielly-Tanev
- OEL-Stecher
– - Mermis-McWard
- Stolarz
- Bobrovsky
Chris Tanev’s Return Gives Maple Leafs a Boost Before Canucks Clash
Tanev had been dealing with an upper-body injury, which had kept him listed as day-to-day. Despite these issues, he already participated in practice on Wednesday.
However, his pairing with Rielly during Friday’s practice is a positive sign that he could be ready to return Saturday against the Canucks.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have suffered two particularly frustrating losses recently, falling to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, October 28, and the Calgary Flames on Monday, October 26.
Both games were especially frustrating because the Leafs looked capable of getting back into the game, but a few costly mistakes ultimately kept them from doing so.
Among the players who have faced the most criticism for these performances is goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. However, some experts believe he should not shoulder all the blame. While he has certainly made mistakes, it is also important to consider that the team playing in front of him has not lived up to expectations.
In that regard, Tanev’s return would provide a breath of fresh air for the Toronto franchise and head coach Jim Hiller, who would have another defensive option if things don’t go according to plan.
This season, Tanev has appeared in six games for the Maple Leafs and recorded one assist. The Toronto native is currently in the third year of a six-year, $27 million contract with an annual cap hit of $4.5 million.
The game against the Vancouver Canucks is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Pacific Time (7 p.m. Eastern Time).
Maple Leafs Handed Roster Boost Before Canucks Game