Maple Leafs Rule Chris Tanev Out With Injury Against Avalanche

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev was ruled out against the Colorado Avalanche after suffering an upper-body injury during Saturday's game in Denver, with the team announcing he would not return after he left the first period.

Tanev played five shifts and recorded a minus-1 rating in 3:29 before leaving. Sportsnet reported he exited after a collision with Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen near the Maple Leafs net.

The Maple Leafs confirmed the status through their public relations account after Tanev was absent from the bench when the second period began.

"Maple Leafs D Chris Tanev will not return to tonight’s game due to injury (upper body)," wrote the Maple Leafs public relations team.

Tanev, 36, entered the game with one assist through five appearances this season. According to TSN, he previously missed much of the 2025-26 season because of injuries and underwent season-ending core muscle surgery in March.

Tanev discussed his return to the team environment after recovering from injuries before the season.

"I’m a competitive person. You grow up your whole life competing against other guys and chasing around a little black puck. It’s a fun game. It’s fun to be in the locker room and be with all the guys," said Chris Tanev, Maple Leafs defenseman.

Tanev also described the challenges of being away from teammates during extended injury absences.

"When you’re hurt, you can sort of get alienated a bit. You’re on a different schedule than everyone, you’re not travelling, you’re doing different things. You really don’t feel like you’re part of the team when you’re injured for a long period of time, so it’s great just to be back in the team atmosphere," said Chris Tanev, Maple Leafs defenseman.

Head coach Jim Hiller had discussed the team's defensive pairings before the game, with Toronto using veteran options across the blue line and Nick Blankenburg making his season debut.

"We’ll mix and match those, too, at different times," said Jim Hiller, Maple Leafs head coach.

Hiller explained that several defensemen had experience playing together as Toronto adjusted its lineup combinations.

"All those guys are veteran guys, so they’ve kind of all played with each other at one point or another. For the most part, they’re lefty-righties. We’ll keep that moving around," said Jim Hiller, Maple Leafs head coach.

General manager John Chayka previously highlighted Tanev's importance to Toronto's defense group before the season began.

"I like a lot of our defense. Like I said, I think we’ve got a proud group that’s ready to make a push on things," said John Chayka, Maple Leafs general manager.

Chayka also pointed to Tanev's value after the defenseman returned from an injury-limited season.

"People also forget we lost Chris Tanev last season, so you’re adding him back to the mix as well. For my money, one of the best, if not the best, defensive defensemen in the game. I had the pleasure of watching Niklas Hjalmarsson in Arizona and what he was able to do for our group, not just on the ice but off the ice as well. I see a lot of that in Chris," said John Chayka, Maple Leafs general manager.