Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev will be re-evaluated on Wednesday, which could spur his eventual return to the lineup, head coach Craig Berube said Sunday.
“He feels good,” Berube said of Tanev via Nick Barden of The Hockey News. “He’s skating, working hard. But we’ll have to see when he gets looked at on Wednesday.”
Tanev participated in Saturday’s morning skate, wearing a red non-contact injury. The 35-year-0ld sustained his injury during a November 1 game against the Philadelphia Flyers, where he was released from hospital the following day.
There is still no timetable for Anthony Stolarz’s return. Stolarz hasn’t skated since sustaining an upper-body injury against the Boston Bruins on November 11. Joseph Woll was also placed on injured reserve retroactive to December 4 with a lower-body injury, while Artur Akhtyamov was called up from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
Berube said Saturday morning that he believes Woll will miss a week, and reiterated this timeline on Sunday.
“He’s progressing the right way. Like I said, it’s probably going to be this week,” Berube said of Woll on Sunday, via Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun.
Dennis Hildeby is operating as the Maple Leafs’ starting goaltender. Hildeby was in excellent form during Saturday’s shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens, making 33 saves on 34 shots. It’s likely that Hildeby will get the vast majority of starts until Woll or Stolarz are ready to return.
Toronto held an optional practice Sunday, with Easton Cowan, Bobby McMann, Nick Robertson, Calle Jarnkrok, Matias Maccelli, Simon Benoit, Philippe Myers, Dakota Mermis, Artur Akhtyamov, Marshall Rifai and Chris Tanev among the players in attendance. Rifai also skated in a red non-contact jersey Saturday alongside Tanev. Maccelli and Jarnkrok have been among the healthy scratches and are in line to miss Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, barring any changes to the lineup.
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