Chris Tanev fully cleared as Maple Leafs get their best injury news of camp

John Chayka made it known that Chris Tanev is 100% healthy and ready to go as Toronto's blueline situation got a lot more interesting heading into training camp.

The Toronto Maple Leafs opened up their training camp on Wednesday, but not before John Chayka addressed the media. Among the topics of discussion were regarding Toronto's injury concerns, but that came with one huge bright spot hidden among the news.

Chris Tanev fully healed ahead of Maple Leafs training camp

Chayka announced that defenseman Chris Tanev was going to be ready to go, as he has been fully cleared and reportedly feels as good as anyone at camp:

I feel really confident that his injuries are in a good place. He is as healthy as anybody and is obviously a big part of the team.

It's a fantastic spot of news considering how many questions there were regarding not only his readiness for camp, but how he'll hold up in an 84-game season.

Tanev, 36, appeared in only 11 games with the Maple Leafs last season after various injuries kept him on the shelf.

While he did add two assists, a plus-8, and 15 blocks in that span, an early season concussion mixed with a core muscle injury left him in the press box for 2025-26. He currently makes $4.5M per season, and his contract will expire in 2030 when he is 40 years old.

Chayka also mentioned that Tanev coming back into the lineup will be a relief for his teammates and admitted that perhaps they missed him a lot more than they led on:

I think they missed him a lot last season. He is an important piece for any team that is serious about trying to be successful, and we are lucky to have him on our team.

Where does Chris Tanev fit in the Maple Leafs lineup?

Now a healthy Tanev does end up throwing a wrench into things. If head coach Jim Hiller wants to go with tradition, he can line him up alongside Jake McCabe again. However, he might best be suited as that anchor for Morgan Rielly.

Adding McCabe up top with Darren Raddysh gives the Maple Leafs both an elite shutdown option and an above average offensive option who is a better defender overall than Rielly. That allows Rielly to have a lesser responsibility on the second line, and Tanev is someone who can elevate him.

By allowing Rielly to pinch and become more of an offensive weapon, the Maple Leafs are hopefully going to spark his old form once again, and knowing they have a steady and stable Tanev covering for any mistakes makes those decisions a lot easier to swallow.

A top-four that looks like this could feasibly be a group that keeps Toronto competitive for the entire season:

McCabe - Raddysh
Rielly - Tanev

Two offensive weapons, two shutdown anchors, and one solid defensive corps that finally has their veteran general back in the battle.

Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Maple Leafs open training camp with four injury concerns as Max Domi fails physical