Maple Leafs Put Tanev on Injured Reserve, Recall Rifai

Summary:

• Chris Tanev has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to October 10. 
• He is expected to miss at least three games.
• The Maple Leafs recalled defenceman Marshall Rifai from the Toronto Marlies to reinforce their blue line.
• John Tavares returned to the team after taking time away for the birth of his fourth child.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have decided to place defenceman Chris Tanev on injured reserve after he suffered an upper-body injury. This left the team without the veteran for at least its next three NHL games.

Retroactive Move

The move is retroactive to October 10, when Tanev sustained the injury during Saturday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. 

He played five shifts in the first period, recording a minus-1 rating in 3:29 of ice time, before missing the start of the second period and being ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Toronto has recalled defenceman Marshall Rifai from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies to help fill the gap on its blue line.

Chris Tanev has recorded one assist in six games this season. His availability was also limited last season, when he played just 11 games because of a series of injuries, including concussion, spine and groin problems.

The latest absence is another setback for the experienced defenceman, whose defensive play has been an important part of Toronto’s blue-line depth.

Ekman-Larsson Out for Maintenance, Tavares and Wood Joined the Team

There were other developments at Monday’s practice. Defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson sat out for maintenance, while forward Miles Wood joined the team on the ice.

Wood was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a deal that also involved forward Kirill Marchenko. His participation in practice offers another update on Toronto’s forward group as the team manages its roster early in the season.

Meanwhile, captain John Tavares rejoined the Maple Leafs after missing time to be with his wife for the birth of their fourth child.

Toronto will now have to adjust its defensive pairings while Tanev recovers. The injured-reserve designation means he will miss at least the next three games, though the team has not provided a further timetable for his return.