‘I want to play’: Leafs’ Chris Tanev vocal about load management

It’s a new era in the NHL, as load management has been implemented more and more in teams’ game plans.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev was the subject of load management for Sunday’s 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils, and to the surprise of no one, Tanev wasn’t happy about it. As a defenseman known for wanting to play as much as he can, even through injury, it’s easy to see why he would be frustrated with a situation where he’s forced to sit when not even injured.

When Tanev met with the media ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche, he did not mince words about his feelings and disagreements with the team on the decision.

“It is what it is,” Tanev said. “I don’t agree with it, but I understand where he’s coming from. I haven’t really been healthy for the last year, so I think he wants me to be able to play in January and February and March. So yeah, I guess being available during that stretch will benefit the team, and I do think John [Chayka] wants what’s best for me too as well.

“I like John a lot. I respect John. I think obviously people are allowed to have different opinions.”

Tanev missed all but 11 games last season due to various injuries, including an upper-body injury, a groin injury, and a core muscle surgery which knocked him out for the rest of the year. Already this season he had missed nine of the Leafs’ 18 games prior to the load management scratch due to an upper-body injury. With Tanev’s recent injury, plus him being a bit over a month away from turning 37, it makes sense to sit him out early on in the season to rest up before the games get important.

Tanev has had his struggles early on in the season. While his one assist in nine games isn’t the worst case scenario for a defensive defenseman, his 0.061 5v5 regularized adjusted plus minus expected goals against per 60 minutes indicates he’s also struggled in his own end.