Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev could miss the remainder of the regular season, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports.
Tanev will meet with a surgeon in the coming weeks and if he undergoes surgery, he is expected to be out until late April or May, Pagnotta reports.
The 36-year-old sustained a groin injury during a December 28 game against the Detroit Red Wings, and has not played since.
“Chris Tanev is going to miss some time, significant time,” Berube said on December 31. “Groin. They’re looking at things going forward here, so I’m not going to speculate on what they’re going to exactly do, but he’s going to be out a while.”
Tanev previously suffered an upper-body injury against the Philadelphia Flyers on November 1, and has played in 11 games, recording two assists this season.
It would be a tough loss for the Maple Leafs if Tanev misses the rest of the regular season. Toronto is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time during the Auston Matthews era, while Brandon Carlo is still working his way back into form from a foot injury that has kept him out of the lineup since mid-November.
Tanev signed a six-year contract with the Maple Leafs worth an average annual value of $4.5 million in July 2024. Last season, Tanev emerged as the Maple Leafs’ best defenceman, operating as a true shutdown option. Toronto has struggled defensively throughout the year in part due to injuries, and it will be a tough task to rally back into the playoffs without the veteran blue liner. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jake McCabe are leading the blue line, Troy Stecher is playing the best hockey of his career, while the rest of the defence corps have struggled to find any consistency.
Toronto resumes its schedule Tuesday against the Florida Panthers, and will practice Monday, where Tanev’s status is expected to be updated formally by the team.
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