What Happened
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Thursday that defenceman Chris Tanev is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Tanev was placed on injured reserve Monday, with the move retroactive to Saturday. He was hurt in Toronto's 6-3 road win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, skating five shifts in the first period before exiting. The 36-year-old has one assist in six games this season.
Key Details
- Tanev is out week-to-week with an upper-body injury, per the club.
- He was placed on injured reserve Monday, retroactive to Saturday.
- The injury occurred in Toronto's 6-3 win at Colorado on Saturday.
- He played five first-period shifts before leaving the game.
- Tanev, 36, has one assist in six games this season.
- He was limited to 11 games last season by spine and groin injuries and a concussion.
What It Means
Tanev's absence removes a veteran right-side defenceman from Toronto's blue line for an undetermined stretch, and it continues a run of health problems for him after he appeared in only 11 games last season. The team has not given a specific return date, so the Leafs will need to cover his minutes internally while he recovers.
What's Next
Toronto hosted Buffalo on Thursday night, the same day the update was issued. No timeline beyond week-to-week has been provided, and Tanev remains on injured reserve, so his return will depend on how the injury progresses.