The gritty defenceman has been sidelined since Feb. 25 when he suffered an upper-body injury against the Boston Bruins. Toronto placed Tanev on injured reserve following the injury.
Speaking with reporters on Sunday after practice in Salt Lake City, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said Tanev is still in the process of working his way back.
“He’s going through practice, and he’s not where he wants to be. We gotta be careful with this situation,” Berube said. “It’s unfortunate because we do miss him. He’s a big part of our team, but at the same time, we want to do what’s best for the player and the player’s gotta do what’s best for himself.”
The 35-year-old Tanev has been a key piece along Toronto’s blue line this season, tallying two goals and 15 assists across 57 games for the Maple Leafs.
Tanev’s absence has been noticeable for the slumping Maple Leafs, who have lost three straight and given up 14 goals in those defeats.
Toronto bolstered its back end at Friday’s trade deadline, however, adding defenceman Brandon Carlo from the Bruins.
With Tanev out of the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche, Carlo led all Maple Leafs in ice time (22:04) and penalty-kill time (3:31) in his debut.
