Craig Berube Issues Worrisome Update on Chris Tanev After Concerning Injury
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev went down with a scary injury on Tuesday and head coach Craig Berube's update did not give fans a lot of hope.
On Tuesday night, not only did the Toronto Maple Leafs lose a very rough game to the Devils thanks to a Jack Hughes hat-trick and some more defensive miscues, with the team currently lost as to where they are headed.
A lot of that has to do with the fact that they lost Chris Tanev due to injury after he bumped heads with Devils forward Dawson Mercer and immediately fell to the ice clutching his head.
Needing assistance off the ice, Tanev left the game and did not return as the team was down to five defenders.
Craig Berube Confirms Chris Tanev Could Miss Time
Fans held their breath as they hoped for the best, but an update from Craig Berube dashes those in an instant as he explained that Tanev could end up missing more than just a little bit of time:
Berube didn't mention much but the notion that Tanev could miss a significant amount of time already handicaps a lineup which doesnt have a true identity and a revolving door of lines that can't gather any chemistry.
He joins Scott Laughton on the injury list although in the case of Laughton he is going to likely be back at the beginning of November, but Tanev's timeline is completely up in the air.
How the Maple Leafs Might Adjust Without Chris Tanev
In the interim, Toronto is going to have to call upon Philippe Myers in order to stop the bleeding, and he's had some moderate success alongside Morgan Rielly; so perhaps Berube will shift Brandon Carlo down to work with Jake McCabe.
There's also a chance that the team makes a move for a player like Erik Gustafsson, who the Maple Leafs have some familiarity with and he is currently being shopped by the Red Wings.
Toronto could also look at their AHL players for help and call up Dakota Mermis, Matt Benning, Henry Thrun, or William Villeneuve; the team has options although none of them are of the ilk that Tanev brings.
Tanev, 35, has one assist in seven games, as well as seven blocks and a plus-4 rating; he has undoubtedly been the team's best shutdown defender and losing him is going to hurt.
Whatever the team decides to do they need to make sure they have some type of plan for however long they're out Chris Tanev.
When it rains, it pours. For the Toronto Maple Leafs, they are wandering into a hurricane with very minimal idea of how to get out.
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