Chris Tanev injury gets positive update from Craig Berube before Panthers clash

Tanev suffered an upper-body injury following a hard but legal first-period hit into the boards by Johnny Beecher. The impact forced him to exit the game early, and he has since missed six consecutive matchups. Without Tanev, the Leafs faced challenges, enduring a three-game losing streak before finally breaking through with an overtime victory against the Utah Hockey Club.

The Maple Leafs have felt his absence, struggling defensively and posting a 3-3-0 record without him. Their stretch included a three-game losing streak, bookended by two wins before the skid and Monday’s victory.

“He’s close, I’d say. He’s getting better. He’s improving every day. We’ll just have to see. I don’t really have a timeline yet,” said the Maple Leafs head coach, Craig Berube. “It’s day-to-day here, and we’ll make a decision tomorrow and see how he feels.”

Things are looking up for Chris Tanev and the Maple Leafs

Berube would certainly like to see Tanev return Thursday alongside his usual partner, Jake McCabe. However, even with defending Stanley Cup champion Florida missing injured stars Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand, the Panthers will still be looking to extend their two-point lead over Toronto.

Chris Tanev returned to practice on Tuesday after being sidelined since Feb. 25 with an upper-body injury. The veteran defenseman was placed on injured reserve ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. So far this season, he has appeared in 57 games, tallying two goals and 17 points.

Tanev holds a plus-26 rating, and his Maple Leafs teammates understand his crucial role on the team. NHL insider Nick Kypreos emphasized that Toronto needs Tanev at full strength to make a deep playoff run. While he was initially expected to return against Colorado, he remained sidelined. With fewer than 20 games remaining, Kypreos views his continued absence as a significant concern.

Toronto strengthened its defense at Friday's trade deadline by acquiring Brandon Carlo from the Bruins. With Tanev still sidelined for Saturday's matchup against Colorado, Carlo made an immediate impact, leading all Maple Leafs in ice time (22:04) and penalty-kill minutes (3:31) in his debut.

The Panthers cruised to victory in the series opener at home back in late November, but the Maple Leafs bounced back with a win in Tampa Bay, a team now sitting three points behind them. After finishing their matchup with the Panthers, the Leafs will take on the Lightning the following night.

Florida has been on a roll, winning eight of its last 10 games, while Toronto ended a three-game losing streak with a shootout win to cap off its recent road trip in Utah.