Maple Leafs Defenseman Chris Tanev Leaves Game vs. the Boston Bruins
Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev took a hit from Boston's John Beecher and ended up leaving for the locker room.
A worrying sign out of Boston on Tuesday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs lost defenseman Chris Tanev after taking a hit against the board from the Bruins' John Beecher.
It isn't certain that exactly is hurting Tanev, though the way he skated it looked like it can be anything from a hip or groin injury to a shoulder injury from hitting the glass.
There is currently no update on the status on Tanev, and it could be a big concern for the Maple Leafs going forward as they push to hold first in the Atlantic Division.
**UPDATE**
The Maple Leafs announced that Tanev is going to miss the rest of the game against Boston and will not be returning.
What does this mean for Toronto going forward?
A Chris Tanev Injury Spells Terrible News For Maple Leafs
Oh boy, this is not good news for the Maple Leafs if Tanev is out for any period of time.
Signed this summer to be the shutdown defender Toronto needs, he has been better than advertised and has created a brilliant tandem with Jake McCabe; who has quietly become elite.
He's the glue that holds the Leafs defense together, and his ability to stop opponents in their tracks, control the zone, and make a good outlet pass is irreplaceable.
This season, Tanev has two goals and 15 assists in 56 games while adding a blistering 152 blocks in 20:08 TOI.
Everything gets thrown out of whack with Tanev gone as it leaves McCabe as Toronto's only real shutdown defender and it makes Brad Treliving's job even harder figuring out a potential replacement.
There's not a lot of names who can offer what Tanev brings, and certainly no one in the Maple Leafs system so it's going to be a difficult path to navigate if he's out for more than just Tuesday's game.
