Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev left Tuesday’s game against the Boston Bruins early in the first period and will not return with an upper-body injury. Tanev was officially ruled out prior to the start of the second period.
Tanev was hit by Bruins forward John Beecher and laboured to the bench, before heading to the dressing room.
Here’s a video of the play:
Tanev went to the dressing room after this hit pic.twitter.com/WWaQ3AvDd3
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) February 26, 2025
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said post-game that Tanev will need to be evaluated but didn’t expand further than that. Sportsnet’s Luke Fox reported that the defenceman was spotted leaving TD Garden with his right arm in a sling.
It would be a crushing loss for the Maple Leafs if Tanev missed any extended time, and he’s coming off an excellent game against the Chicago Blackhawks, where he recorded a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win Sunday.
The 35-year-old has emerged as Toronto’s best defenceman this season while forming an excellent shutdown pairing with Jake McCabe. Tanev boasts a plus-18 goal differential at 5-on-5, while the Maple Leafs control 52 percent of the expected goals when he’s on the ice at 5-on-5, and he’s recorded two goals and 17 points this season. He also ranks second in the NHL with 151 blocked shots and has been essential to the Maple Leafs’ transformation into a defence-first team under head coach Craig Berube.
If Tanev is out for an extended period, the Maple Leafs will likely re-insert Philippe Myers into the lineup, and could potentially pursue another defenceman ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
Tanev was beat earlier in the game, after a long-range pass from Bruins defenceman Mason Lohrei got past him, as David Pastrnak wheeled away for a breakaway goal 29 seconds into the contest. Boston entered the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
As a result of Tanev’s injury, McCabe was playing overflow minutes with Simon Benoit, as the Maple Leafs adjusted to a five-defenceman set up.
Tanev signed a six-year deal with the Maple Leafs last summer and is a core part of the team’s playoff aspirations.