The Toronto Maple Leafs have definitely had the worst luck with injuries this season. Not only have they struggled with the majority of players getting injured at some point in the season, but there is now a feeling that defender Chris Tanev could be out for the rest of the season, with the possibility of him returning before the play-offs if he is lucky and all goes well.
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According to NHL analyst Nick Kypreoshe gave an update on the defender. He wrote in his last blog that the Maple Leafs are expected to get some clarity on Tanev this week and it may not be as good news as they had hoped.
Kypreos reported that Tanev may need surgery to ensure he returns healthy. He also said that this situation is being compared to Jake Muzzin’s situation and we all know how that turned out.
Tanev’s injury could be worse than expected
In Kypreos’ report, he stated that there are fears that another hit could be devastating for him. He brought it back to Muzzin and risked permanent paralysis his cervical spine injury if he were to take another big hit.
Here it is what Kypreos reported:
“At this time, Tanev and the team are considering whether or not he will undergo structural surgery that will help him return and a decision on that will be made this week. If he is leaning towards surgery, the hope would be that he returns well before the end of the regular season.”
The anticipation of which way Tanev will go reminds many of Jake Muzzin, another hard-hitting Leafs defenseman who took a nasty hit in October 2022 that ended his season even though he skated off the ice alone. The following summer, in 2023, Muzzin had to go through the possible scenarios between surgery or no surgery and the risks of temporary and permanent damage he could face after his career was over if he continued to play. Ultimately, he never returned to NHL action.
The biggest concern for Tanev is whether he gets another hit similar to the one he took on November 1 that knocked him out of the lineup. What are the risks if he further worsens the symptoms he has had since? The hope is that any possible surgery could help alleviate that risk.”
If there’s any thought that Tanev’s injury could be similar to Muzzin’s, even if it’s not exactly the same injury, the fear that he could end up like Muzzin makes it safe to say the Maple Leafs will be as cautious as they can. Tanev is far too important to the team’s blue line to let him risk a career-ending injury. So if what Kypreos is reporting is true, it appears those around the Maple Leafs organization are genuinely concerned about the injury he suffered nearly six weeks ago.
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It looks like Leafs Nation could find out as soon as this week whether surgery is scheduled or not. But either way, now that this report is out and circulating on the internet, fans of the team will fear losing Tanev for good.
Outside of hockey, the hope is that Tanev can get the help he needs so he can spend his post-hockey life with his children and family. So if this is a similar situation to what happened with Muzzin, you can expect both the player and the organization to be as patient and cautious as possible. And rightly so.
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