Leafs’ Chris Tanev released from hospital; placed on injured reserve

Some positive news for one of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top blueliners.

The team announced that defenseman Chris Tanev was discharged from a hospital in Philadelphia on Sunday morning and will be returning to Toronto promptly.

Tanev was held overnight at a hospital for precautionary reasons after a scary incident between the Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night.

A little before the halfway mark of the third period, Tanev, while trying to kill off a penalty, collided with Flyers forward Matvei Michkov near the Leafs’ blue line. Tanev lay on the ice and was quickly attended to by medical personnel. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher as a result. The 35-year-old did give a thumbs-up to the crowd while exiting.

It was Tanev’s first game since returning from a concussion. He had missed the previous four games, which saw Toronto go 2-2-0 in his absence.

Tanev recorded an assist on Jake McCabe’s goal in the second period and registered a plus/minus of +2 in 14:50 of ice time. The Leafs went on to win the game 5-2.

Later in the day, the Maple Leafs placed Tanev on injured reserve, calling up Dakota Mermis from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. Per the NHL’s IR rules, Tanev won’t be able to return to the lineup until Nov. 9, when Toronto hosts the Carolina Hurricanes.

In eight games thus far, the Toronto native has posted two assists, picking up a +5 rating while averaging 17:20 of ice time per game. He’s in the second season of a six-year contract that he signed in July 2024. The deal carries an AAV of $4.5 million through the 2029-30 campaign.

The Leafs (6-5-1) are slated to host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.