With that, it ultimately concludes what has turned out to be a brutal 2025-26 campaign for Tanev and the Maple Leafs where he had spent more time on the sidelines than on the ice. The 36-year-old defenseman had missed almost two months of action earlier in the season due to a concussion. Following his return in late December, Tanev would subsequently suffer another groin injury just a few days later and had been on the injured reserve ever since.
What drove the decision to go back to Joseph Woll for tonight's start in goal? Berube: I get that last game was a tough game. With the travel and everything, our team wasn't at our best. I don't think we gave him the opportunity to be successful in that game. He has been our guy. That is why I am going with him. Would you go back to him on Friday, or are you worried about his workload? Berube: I am not overly worried right now. I think he is in a good place.
Morgan Rielly has become the latest Toronto Maple Leafs lightning rod, with his play under intense scrutiny after being on the ice for all four goals against in a recent overtime loss to the New York Islanders. The latest defensive hiccup from the Leafs' longest-serving player made Rielly the target of familiar fan frustration, even as a more consequential issue lingers beneath the surface.
It would be a tough loss for the Maple Leafs if Tanev misses the rest of the regular season. Toronto is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time during the Auston Matthews era, while Brandon Carlo is still working his way back into form from a foot injury that has kept him out of the lineup since mid-November. Tanev signed a six-year contract with the Maple Leafs worth an average annual value of $4.5 million in July 2024.
