BOSTON — If there was a scarier sight Tuesday night at TD Garden for Toronto Maple Leafs fans than seeing David Pastrnak on a clean breakaway, it was spotting Chris Tanev walking out of the rink with his right arm in a sling.
Tanev suffered an upper-body injury from a hard but clean first-period check into the end-boards by forechecker Johnny Beacher, which ended the defenceman’s night prematurely and sent a jolt of worry through Leafs Nation.
“One of the best D-men in the league, in my opinion,” said Morgan Rielly, following Toronto’s 4-3 comeback win over the Boston Bruins. “Important to the penalty kill, plays big minutes. He plays hard minutes against other teams’ best players.
“We hope he’s not out too long.”
The veteran Tanev has been as resilient as he has been excellent in his first season skating for his hometown Leafs. He ranks third overall in blocked shots (151), has been a boon to the PK, and has formed one of the NHL’s elite shutdown duos with Jake McCabe.
“Starts in the D-zone a lot of times and doesn’t care. Doesn't complain about it. Just does his job. And he's a guy that you love to have on your team and in the locker room,” Mitch Marner said.
Tanev’s injury will be further evaluated Wednesday, when the Maple Leafs will travel to New York for Friday’s game against the Rangers.
Toronto had already been exploring trade options to bolster its defensive depth. Picturing important games without Tanev’s services on the right side is downright dismal.
If names like Rasmus Ristolainen and Luke Schenn were already on the board, they’ll be circled and underlined if Tanev’s injury is long-term.
Few players on the Leafs’ roster would be more missed.
“Just his grit and his toughness,” goalie Anthony Stolarz said. “I mean, you look at the way that he blocks shots, the way he is fearless in front of the net.
“Hopefully he’s not out too long.”
Coach Craig Berube rhymes off all the same heart-and-soul attributes Tanev brings to the group, then adds one more.
“And leadership,” the coach said.
“There's a lot of stuff you miss. He’s a very important player for us.”
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