When Will Chris Tanev Return? Maple Leafs GM John Chayka Gives Update On Defenseman's Injury, Max Domi, John Tavares And More

CALGARY — Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka offered the most detailed public update yet on several key absences and one impending return during a morning media scrum Monday at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Defenceman Chris Tanev took part in the morning skate as he continues to recover from an upper-body injury. Chayka said the veteran is progressing well and should return to full team practices shortly.

“It’s progressing. This is a morning skate, but he’ll get back in practice here shortly, hopefully, and then he’ll progress to return to play. All the diagnosis and everything we heard was really positive and optimistic, and like I said, progressing nicely,” Chayka said.

Asked about the risk of re-injury once contact resumes given Tanev’s recent history of repeated ailments, the GM acknowledged the inherent uncertainty while expressing confidence in the medical staff’s plan.

“That’d be like a crystal ball kind of thing. Our doctors are confident in the diagnosis and the treatment plan, and he’s responding well. No different than any other player that returns to play. You’re always worried about re-injury, but we’ll get to a point where we feel really good about it. We’ll test it as much as we can in practice, and then it’s about going out and playing.”

Forward Max Domi remains out indefinitely after a reported back surgery that led to complications. There hadn’t been an update on the player’s status since training camp opened in September.

“I mean, just out indefinitely still. So not at a point yet where he’s progressing to team activities, anything like that, but skating on his own and going through that rehab process. I think it’s at the point that when he’s comfortable in addressing it, he wants to address it himself, and we’ll allow him to do that.”

Captain John Tavares is still listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. He has begun skating on his own, but group sessions with the team remain the next milestone.

“He’s a pretty unique athlete, very attuned to his body and what he needs to do and he’s not yet at a point where he’s skating with the team. So that’d be kind of next step.”

Tavares was injured on Oct. 15 against the Buffalo Sabres.

On a more immediate roster note, forward Dakota Joshua has completed his conditioning stint with the Toronto Marlies and is expected to be recalled by the Maple Leafs “in the next day or two.”

Joshua had been dealing with a core injury stemming from the offseason that did not get better in training camp. He had no points in four games with the Marlies during his conditioning sting.

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