The Toronto Maple Leafs will get a much-needed addition to their lineup on Tuesday as defenceman Chris Tanev is set to make his return after missing almost two months with an unspecified injury.
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube made the announcement when speaking to reporters after practice before the game.
Tanev has two assists in eight games this season, as the 16-year veteran has missed two separate stints with different injuries. His most recent injury came on a hit from behind by Matvei Michkov against the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 1.
The seemingly mundane hit left Tanev lying on the ice for minutes, before he was finally stretchered off. That game was his first back after he missed four games due to a concussion earlier in October.
“I feel good. It is great to be out there with everyone and actually participate in my first practice,” Tanev said earlier in the week after making his return to the ice.
“It was not a great situation, but it was sort of a weird, fluke hit. I just want to thank our doctors, the trainers, and the people in Philly for really taking care of me and making sure nothing catastrophic was wrong.”
Tanev’s return was desperately needed in Toronto, as the team’s season has continued to spiral out of control in recent weeks.
The Maple Leafs enter Tuesday’s afternoon game against the Pittsburgh Penguins riding a three-game losing streak in which they were outscored 14-4. The Maple Leafs have lost five of their past six contests and sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings at 15-15-5.