"At the same time the Leafs are a team on the bubble and while Craig Berube has already acknowledged that Tanev will miss a significant amount of time, it is important to make sure the Leafs are doing right by Tanev and giving him the opportunity to re-enter the lineup as close to 100 percent as possible and prolong his career to the benefit of the Leafs as much as possible."
"Instinctively there is a comparison between Tanev and Jake Muzzin that occurs, based largely in the role that they play on the Leafs and the realities of age and injuries catching up with them. Tanev is older than Muzzin was and raises more concerns that way, in fact Muzzin is just a few months older than Tanev. On the other hand, Muzzin wasn't dealing with a groin injury, he was dealing with a spinal injury."
"In the short term, the Leafs are hooped defensively. The better season out of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the strong showing from Troy Stecher, and Jake McCabe's willingness to do everything possible soften the blow of having Tanev out of the lineup. Morgan Rielly has also looked better this season but from the offensive side of the puck, and while the Leafs have four defencemen they should be pleased with individually, the combination of their play doesn't offset how much the Leafs defence suffers without Tanev."
The Maple Leafs have a 6-3-2 record with Chris Tanev in the lineup and 13-12-5 without him. The team went 2-0-2 after his most recent return. Tanev's presence improves the defence during the busiest, make-or-break stretch as the team sits on the playoff bubble. Craig Berube acknowledged that Tanev will miss significant time. The team must balance immediate competitive needs with allowing Tanev to re-enter at close to 100 percent to prolong his career. Age and playing style raise caution about recovery time and the possibility of a reduced role going forward. Other defencemen have softened the loss but cannot fully replace him.
Read at TheLeafsNation
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