Chris Tanev's Injury Exposes a Bigger Maple Leafs Problem

When Chris Tanev is out of the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup, you can almost hear the collective groan from Maple Leafs fans. He's one of those players whose value becomes even more obvious when he isn't available. He blocks shots, wins battles, makes sensible decisions and gives the defence a little more order. He isn't flashy, but he's the kind of player every team needs.

The trouble is that Toronto seems to need him an awful lot. Tanev has already been placed on Injured Reserve after playing just six games this season. He's 36, turns 37 in December, and has played a hard brand of hockey for a long time. Nobody should question his commitment. But we probably shouldn't be surprised when a veteran who has sacrificed his body for nearly 900 NHL games has trouble staying in the lineup. And that's where I think the bigger question begins.

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Why Are the Maple Leafs So Dependent on One Defenceman?

Howard Berger recently revisited Toronto's long-running defensive problems, using Tanev's latest injury as the starting point. He argues the organization has spent decades trying to fix the blue line through trades and free-agent signings rather than consistently developing its own impact defencemen.

That's a pretty sweeping conclusion, and the history isn't quite as simple as a list of failed acquisitions. Some of those players had useful careers in Toronto. Others arrived past their best years or were asked to do jobs they weren't suited for. Still, one question remains. Why does losing one veteran defenceman leave so many Maple Leafs fans wondering how the team will hold up?

Toronto has invested heavily in its forwards over the years. Finding dependable defencemen who can defend under pressure, move the puck and handle difficult minutes has been a much tougher assignment. Tanev helps cover those weaknesses. But asking him to solve all of them is asking an awful lot of one player.

The Maple Leafs Need a Plan Beyond Chris Tanev.

John Chayka shouldn't be blamed for a problem that existed long before he arrived. But he's now responsible for helping solve it. Bringing in Darren Raddysh was a useful move, yet one addition won't fix years of uncertainty on the blue line.

The answer isn't simply finding another Chris Tanev every time the original one gets hurt. It's building a defence that can survive losing a key player without everything coming apart.

Tanev deserves credit for what he brings. He shouldn't have to carry the weight of the organization's defensive history, too.

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