Chris Tanev may be headed back into the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup a lot sooner than the injury picture first suggested.
The veteran defenseman has been on the practice ice this week, and that alone marks a meaningful step forward for a Leafs team that has been taking hits early in the season. With Tanev, John Tavares, and now Kirill Marchenko all sidelined, Toronto’s injury list has been growing fast. Tanev’s return, though, looks to be moving in the right direction.
He has already been back at practice wearing a red non-contract jersey, which is the clearest sign yet that he is making real progress. For a Toronto blue line that could use the help, that’s an encouraging development.
Nick Kypreos went a step further and put a timeline on it. He believes Tanev could be officially back as soon as Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
That might sound aggressive to some, but Kypreos has sources close to the team and seems confident in the read. As always, the final call will come down to Tanev, the team doctors, and head coach Jim Hiller before anything is locked in.
Tanev’s possible return also changes the conversation around Toronto’s search for defensive help. The Maple Leafs have been linked to several blue-line options amid the injuries, including Simon Edvinsson, Zach Werenski, Zach Whitecloud, and Alexander Nikishin.
If Tanev is indeed ready to go, that search may be tabled for now.
His status remains fluid, but the latest signs point toward a return that could come sooner than expected.
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