Sunday: Toronto has reversed this move after Tanev left Saturday’s game on a stretcher in the third period. Tanev will head back to IR, while Mermis has been recalled to the active roster, per Lance Hornby of Post Media. No specifics of Tanev’s injury, or timeline, have been revealed, though Hornby points out that Toronto did not feel the need to place Tanev on long-term injured reserve.
Saturday: The Maple Leafs announced that Tanev has officially been activated. As expected, Mermis has been assigned to the minors to make room for Tanev on the active roster.
Friday: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev told reporters today, including David Alter of The Hockey News, that he’s cleared concussion protocol and is likely to play Saturday against the Flyers. He’ll need to come off injured reserve to do so, meaning the team must create a roster spot before tomorrow night. Dakota Mermis was the player recalled when Tanev landed on IR last week and could return to AHL Toronto after sitting as a healthy scratch in three straight games.
Tanev will have missed 11 days and four games when his absence comes to an end this weekend. He was on the receiving end of a hit on Oct. 21 against the Devils that caused him to leave the game early.
Before exiting the lineup, the 35-year-old had been his usual stable self. The stalwart rearguard only had one assist in seven games, but his +3 rating is still second among Toronto defensemen despite the absence, and the Leafs were allowing just 1.7 goals per 60 minutes at even strength when he was on the ice. The raw shot attempt numbers aren’t in Tanev’s favor so far – his 46.3 CF% at even strength is 19th out of 22 skaters to play a game for Toronto this season – but that has more to do with a lack of offense coming from Toronto’s forwards when he and usual partner Jake McCabe were on the ice. The duo’s 2.27 xGA/60 is still the lowest among the Leafs’ three regular pairings.
Toronto’s defense needs all the help it can get with its goaltenders not holding up their end of the bargain. After receiving some of the best puck-stopping in the league last season, the Leafs’ goaltenders have been the main culprit behind their underwhelming 5-5-1 record through October. Anthony Stolarz has only managed a .886 SV% in eight starts, while waiver-claim backup Cayden Primeau, playing in place of Joseph Woll (who’s on the verge of returning from an extended personal leave), has an .838 mark in his three starts.
Okay, if I was Tanev, I would start wearing an Evil Eye to repel curses, that is incredibly bad luck.
(He’s a fellow Macedonian, this is a thing we do. Throwing salt over the shoulder works too. XD)
Truly hope the guy is okay.