The Toronto Maple Leafs’ blueline has been depleted by injury, and Chris Tanev is one in every of the leading players they need back of their lineup. The last time anyone saw Tanev was when medical staff needed to carry him off the ice on a stretcher in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on November 1. The defenseman returned to practice on Wednesday morning, but he’s slowly working his way back while wearing a red non-contact jersey, based on reporter Mark Masters.
Tanev looked good in his first practice since November 1, however the Maple Leafs will likely exercise loads of caution before allowing him to take any contact in practice. Tanev missed a while early within the season because of a concussion, and he wasn’t long faraway from that injury when he was taken off the ice on a stretcher. The medical staff will be certain he’s fully healthy this time before putting him in harm’s way.
The Maple Leafs went through a rough stretch after the Tanev injury, but they have been on a little bit of a hot streak recently as they climb back up the Atlantic Division standings. While they’re still missing his presence on the backend, waiver pickup Troy Stecher is one in every of the players who’s stepping up in Tanev’s absence.
Toronto hasn’t been missing the defenseman on the penalty kill as much as they thought, still sitting twelfth within the league in that category. Nonetheless, they’re twentieth within the league with 3.17 goals against per game. Tanev’s health might be the difference within the Leafs becoming legitimate contenders this season, as not many Stanley Cup-winning teams are in the underside half in goals against, and a fully healthy Chris Tanev will surely help that number.