'I Don't Agree With It': Chris Tanev Is Not A Fan Of The Maple Leafs' Plan To Load Manage The Veteran Defenseman

Chris Tanev does not agree with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ decision to load manage him this season, even as the organization held firm on the plan Sunday night against the New Jersey Devils when Morgan Rielly was already unavailable.

The 36-year-old defenceman sat out the Hockey Hall of Fame game as part of planned maintenance after returning from a nine-game absence with an upper-body injury. Rielly, who left Saturday’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day, was also out. The Leafs still chose to keep Tanev on the sidelines rather than insert him into a depleted blue line that ultimately included Dakota Mermis and Cole McWard. Toronto dropped a 4-0 decision, its third consecutive loss.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s home game against the Colorado Avalanche, Tanev made clear he disagrees with the approach while acknowledging the reasoning behind it.

“Yeah, it is what it is. I mean, don’t agree with it, but I mean, understand where he’s coming from,” Tanev said. “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.”

Tanev was limited to 11 games in 2025-26 because of a series of injuries. He has already missed significant time this season. The Leafs’ general manager and the club’s performance staff have prioritized keeping the veteran available for the stretch run rather than risking another prolonged absence. Tanev said the conversations about the plan took place shortly before he rejoined the lineup after his latest injury.

“Talked a few times as I said,” Tanev said. “I think difference of opinions, but it’s no, don’t like, don’t go write that Chris and John are having issues. That’s not at all the case. I like John a lot. I respect John. I think obviously people are allowed to have different opinions.”

When asked why he is not in favour of the load management, Tanev’s answer was straightforward.

“I want to play. That’s why.”

Tanev said he felt good in the three games he played after returning from the upper-body issue. He also confirmed that he pushed to get into the lineup Sunday once it became clear Rielly would not be available.

“I obviously tried to play multiple times, but. Obviously didn’t work,” Tanev said. “Yeah, I feel good. So, felt good in the three games I’ve been back. But yeah, I think the their plan is to hopefully have me available longer, longer term. Which over the last year, I’ve sort of struggled to stay healthy.”

The situation left the Leafs thin on the back end against a skilled Devils team. Tanev is not injured, and the club has framed the rest as proactive rather than reactive. Still, sitting a healthy veteran when a regular like Rielly is already out underscores how strongly the organization is committed to the plan. Tanev acknowledged the difficulty of being in and out of the lineup from a momentum standpoint.

According to Tanev, it’s not clear if the plan is to always rest him in situations where the club plays back-to-back games.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s it is what it is, and I mean, hopefully, I’m not out too much,” he said.

With Rielly still day-to-day and other injuries having hit the roster, the Leafs face another difficult test against the Avalanche. Tanev’s availability moving forward will continue to be managed with an eye on the second half of the season. For now, he remains clear that he would rather be in the lineup than watching from the stands, even as he accepts that the organization’s view of his long-term health differs from his own.

"He's just a warrior. That's been well documented. So you know we understand his frustration, and we'd like to have him every night," Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller acknowledged. "But there's there's a there's a plan in place to protect him and the team."

See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.