Tanev didn't have the best start in his return to the Maple Leafs' lineup, but the defenseman got more comfortable over time.
When Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev flung a puck up the middle in the first period of their 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, all the defenseman could do was laugh.
Not in the moment, of course, but he had a good chuckle about it after the game.
"I gave someone a Christmas present in front," Tanev grinned, "so thankfully (Joseph Woll) snagged it away."
The 36-year-old took a while to get comfortable on Tuesday night in what was the defenseman's first contest since going off on a stretcher on Nov. 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Tanev did join the Maple Leafs for their most recent road trip, but couldn't get into the lineup.
There were steps that needed to be taken before he played, and Tanev cleared the final benchmark on Monday.
"Once that last step was finished yesterday, and then if all went well, then I could make the decision to play if I wanted to," he said.
"It’s great to get back out there after an extremely long time. Great to win as well. That’s most important."
After a few shifts alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson, which included a goal against, head coach Craig Berube decided to rearrange his defense, putting Tanev back with his old defense partner, Jake McCabe.
"A lot of familiarity there," Berube said. "I thought they were good."
Tanev finished the game as a plus-one with 17:23 of ice time, the fifth-most among Maple Leafs defensemen on the night. And to no surprise, the veteran defender found himself at the top of the blocked shots list with two in the game (tied with McCabe, Philippe Myers, and Dakota Joshua).
"I think those two plays in the first weren’t ideal," Tanev said, "but missing nine weeks, you picture in your head and think you know how the game is going to go and what’s going to happen, and it comes a lot quicker than you think, especially missing so much time. So definitely I think I got better as the game went on, but still lots to improve on."
His presence isn't just felt on the ice, though. Just being back in the room gave the Maple Leafs life, especially after a difficult stretch, which included the dismissal of assistant coach Marc Savard.
"I think if you look up ‘Good Teammate’ in the dictionary, there’s a definition for it, but (Tanev) would be right there," said Max Domi, who had the game-winner against the Penguins.
"He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever come across. One of the best professionals. He’s the ultimate pro. He goes out there and empties the tank every shift. He does the hardest thing and eats pucks for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
"That’s on the ice. You guys see all that stuff. But off the ice, his leadership and his experience, it just calms our whole group down. It gives us a lot of confidence, and knowing he’s out there, even on the bench, it’s a huge part of our group. We’re very lucky to have him."
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It's just one game, but to see Tanev back in game action is a great sign. He's been through a lot this season, appearing in just eight games before Tuesday due to his most recent upper-body injury and a concussion that he suffered earlier in the season.
But one thing is for certain: Tanev has had enough of watching his team play on TV or from up in the press box.
"Watching is not fun, regardless of whether you’re winning or losing," Tanev said.
"Obviously, it’s a lot easier when the team’s winning, but guys are battling hard. Obviously, we haven’t gotten the results that we want, but thankfully, there’s a lot of time left in the season, and just got to go day by day and build on that game."