yardbarker
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to navigate a significant absence on their blue line when they take on the Utah Mammoth in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night.
During Saturday's 6-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche, veteran defenseman Chris Tanev exited the game midway through the first period. He managed only five shifts and logged 3:29 of ice time before leaving.
On Sunday, the 36-year-old was placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss at least the next three games. The Toronto native's health had been a topic of much discussion entering the season, especially after a season-ending groin injury in December 2025 limited him to just 11 games last year.
To fill the gap, the Maple Leafs recalled defenseman Marshall Rifai from the Toronto Marlies of the AHL on Sunday.
"It's always tough. I mean, he's a heart-and-soul guy," Leafs captain Auston Matthews said of Tanev. "He plays a big role in our back end -- shutdown guy -- so you're hoping it's nothing serious and that he'll be alright. But we'll see. Obviously it's a tough loss."
With Tanev out, Jake McCabe could be asked to take on a larger role as the only true defensive defenseman in Toronto's top four.
Meanwhile, the team's offense has been firing on all cylinders. Ahead of Monday's three-game slate, the Leafs were tied for the Atlantic Division lead with 20 goals. Matthews recorded his first two-goal game in 31 outings during Saturday's win in Denver, while William Nylander, the club's leading scorer in 2025-26, matched a career high with five points (two goals, three assists).
"I was just going out there playing," Nylander said. "I got some really nice passes to be able to score those two goals."
The Mammoth, who are 4-2-0, return home after a five-game road trip that featured both impressive highs and disappointing lows. Utah rebounded from a 6-1 loss to the Boston Bruins with a dominant 4-1 win over Buffalo on Saturday. The team's league-leading power play (10-for-25, 40%) scored twice and frequently seemed a step ahead of the Sabres' sluggish penalty kill.
"Obviously, the power play was big again tonight," said offseason acquisition Anders Lee, who contributed a goal and an assist. "And I think for the most part, we made good puck decisions. And if they did make a play, it's because it's the game and not because we gave it to them."
Utah will look to replicate that success on the man advantage against Toronto's revamped penalty kill, which has been operating at a 95% success rate. Four of Nick Schmaltz's six goals this season have come on the power play.
"This early in the year, when everyone's getting their feet under them, and we played in a lot of tough buildings with some good hockey teams, it's a good trip," Lee said. "Now we have an opportunity to go home, get some rest over the weekend, and get in front of our fans again this coming week, so we're pumped about that."
Leafs center John Tavares was absent on Saturday for the birth of his child but is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday. Toronto has won three of the four previous meetings between the two teams.
Originally reported by yardbarker.