Chris Tanev close to return for Maple Leafs as rivals make deadline deals
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The injured Chris Tanev is back practising and Steven Lorentz was good to go against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night, but the top of the Atlantic Division looks much different to them and the Maple Leafs than a few days ago.
Toronto’s own roster might change after Wednesday’s late game, their last before the National Hockey League trade window closes.
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The Leafs prepped for the Vegas match, perhaps buoyed because they’re less than 48 hours away from staying together for a first-place and playoff push, at least based on general manager Brad Treliving’s silence. But as the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning completed significant deals and chatter picked up around the league regarding the last available defencemen and forwards, it was very much in Toronto’s interests to buy insurance for a try at first place and avoid facing either Sunshine State foe in the first round.
It’s naive to think someone won’t get hurt in Toronto’s final 20 games or in the playoffs, especially among defencemen — who have a high April-May attrition rate — or struggle for some other reason.
Tanev, Toronto’s best shot-blocker and stay-at-home defender, resumed practising Wednesday morning after an upper body injury a week ago, though he missed his fourth straight game.
“He’s getting better and he’s getting closer,” coach Craig Berube told the media in Vegas, saying that the next game in Colorado on Saturday was a possibility for Tanev.
Lorentz, the fourth-line energy winger, was projected to play Wednesday. He had to sit out his first game of the season on Monday, telling the press it was a precaution for a sore neck and related head injury.
While Treliving works the phones, other teams have been busy the past few days, particularly in the Atlantic.
As the Leafs took to the ice in Vegas, the Lightning was completing a move with the fading Seattle Kraken to re-acquire two-time Stanley Cup winner Yanni Gourde, consistent 20-goal right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand, plus a fifth-round draft pick next year. The Kraken reaped a haul of high picks, a first in ‘26 and ‘27, both lottery-protected, a second this year and forward Michael Eyssimont.
The Leafs would’ve had interest in Gourde, who has recovered from sports hernia surgery, while the second-rounder the Kraken acquired was once their property. Defenceman Luke Schenn did change teams late Wednesday, Nashville to Pittsburgh as part of a larger deal that included the Penguins’ winger Michael Bunting, but that doesn’t mean both principals will stay with those current non-playoff teams come Friday.
Florida already took one of the biggest ‘name’ defencemen off the board on Saturday when it nabbed Seth Jones from Chicago. That move required the Hawks to use their extra cap apace to retain Jones’ lengthy $9.5-million salary, an option not open to the cash-strapped Leafs. There is a similar situation with winger Mikko Rantanen in Carolina, though the Hurricanes are at least playoff-bound whether he signs there or not.
Defending Cup-champion Florida had to give up strong young No. 2 goalie Spencer Knight, but bolstered that position Wednesday with San Jose backup Vitek Vanecek for the role that current Leaf Anthony Stolarz filled for the Cats last season.
The St. Louis Blues’ post-break surge, pushing to a record of 5-2 before a West Coast game with the Los Angeles Kings, affected the Leafs’ and others’ pursuit of centre Brayden Schenn. While Berube would love to have his 2019 Cup-winner here, Blues’ GM Doug Armstrong would face a hard sell with his crew to shift Schenn with the team now just three points out of a wild-card spot as of Wednesday afternoon and a favourable schedule down the stretch against current non-playoff clubs.
On Tuesday night, Brock Nelson was fighting back tears on the home bench interview post-game after his Islanders beat Winnipeg, his 979th game for New York, when it was hinted it could be the centre’s last at UBS Arena.
“It’s a great place, great fans,” he sputtered as the arena host made him more emotional with a parting “hope to see you soon.”
Meanwhile, right winger Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks was telling reporters he’ll go into Wednesday’s home game against Anaheim with rattled trade nerves as his contract future is in limbo in and three teams are immediately in front and behind the Canucks for a wild-card spot.
Also Wednesday, the Toronto Marlies played their final pre-NHL deadline game losing 4-2 to visiting Cleveland. Forwards Fraser Minten and Alex Steeves played, Steeves with a goal and four shots on net. They’re the Leafs’ top two tradeable pro prospects at present, while Easton Cowan still piles up points for the London Knights in junior, just reaching his 200th over the past three seasons. Dennis Hildeby was in net for the Marlies, another possible addition to a trade package.
After Friday, the Leafs are permitted only four farm callups until the end of the regular season, unless they qualify to add more under emergency roster conditions. There might also be some juggling to get some bubble Leafs on to the Marlies post-season roster in a paper transaction to keep them eligible for Calder Cup action should their team keep going and the parent club makes a quick exit.
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