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Berube offers update on Tanev as next steps still being evaluated
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was honest with Chris Tanev's timeline, expressing that while he feels good, he isn't ready to come back just yet.
Chris Tanev has been out of action since Nov. 1 with an unspecified injury, but it's been serious enough to keep him out for over a month. He's been skating with the team and has even participated in some practices over the last couple weeks.
But he hasn't come back to the lineup just yet, and with him getting a second opinion on his injury and no idea what that update entails, it's still a mystery for both fans and Tanev's teammates.
Craig Berube optimistic about Chris Tanev's progress; timeline remains undetermined
Craig Berube did his best to give at least some hope for Tanev's return to be sooner than later, but stopped short of giving him a definitive timeline.
Speaking to reporters prior to Toronto's game against Nashville on Saturday night, Berube mentioned that while Tanev is progressing, that he needs to see how the veteran defender feels before slotting him back in:
Well he's progressing, he feels good on the ice but there are still decisions that have to be made with him personally and doctors. That's it.
While it's great news that there seemingly isn't any setbacks when it comes to Tanev's injury, it's still nonetheless frustrating that the team hasn't been able to nail down a definitive date for him to return.
Tanev has only skated in eight games this year for the Maple Leafs, registering two assists and a plus-five rating in 17:20 TOI.
At this point it's best to wait it out until 2026. Toronto is likely going to be going through some changes soon whether it be lineup or personnel, and throwing him back into the fire so soon amidst all the turmoil isn't a great look.
Why waiting until 2026 may be the best choice for Toronto
Look, we know how fractured this team is on and off the ice. A lifeless performance in Nashville will all but seal Craig Berube's fate it seems, and then you have Dallas the next night.
Toronto plays up until the 23rd of December, then have games on the 27th, 28th, 30th then January 1st and 3rd. You're going to throw Tanev in to hope what? Him not at 100% being the answer to the team's woes?
No, the team needs to reassess things. He shouldn't go anywhere, but the team may need to help build a better defensive team in general which means they need to find out where he will slot in when he comes back.
Once Toronto gets a better idea of their trajectory, they can ease Tanev back in and he could end up skating on either the 3rd against the Islanders or the 6th against Panthers; a game in which he would assuredly be counted on to stop the reigning champs.
This team is already older and slower than the majority of the league, and they get hurt a lot. If you rush back a now 36-year-old Tanev and he gets knocked out for the year, then what? At least be patient with this particular player.
So it'll be an endurance test for the Maple Leafs to get through 2025 and look towards 2026 with hopefully not only a fresh mindset, but a fresh Chris Tanev as well.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 20 | 2834 ANSWERS Berube offers update on Tanev as next steps still being evaluated Should the Maple Leafs bring Chris Tanev back early to help? | ||
| Yes | 663 | 23.4 % |
| No | 2171 | 76.6 % |
| List of polls | ||