There is a cold, hard truth facing this defensive corps: you can’t rely on a “safety blanket” that is rarely on the bed. When the team signed Chris Tanev to that six-year deal, the blueprint was simple: 20 minutes a night of elite gap control and shot-blocking. Instead, what we’ve had is a revolving door.
Tanev has managed just 11 appearances this season. He missed time in October with a concussion, returned for one game in November only to be stretchered off in Philadelphia, and now, after a grueling 23-game recovery, his body has given out again after just three games. “Significant time” is a phrase we’ve heard too often regarding #8. At 36 years old, the conversation isn’t just about how to replace him for January; it’s about whether his style of play is sustainable for the length of this contract.
THE BREAKDOWN: THE ADAPTATION PHASE
The technical reality is that the team has actually had more practice playing without Tanev than with him this season.
- Defensive Structure: Without Tanev’s ability to kill plays early, the neutral zone transition defense has to shift. We saw it against Jersey—the defense played deeper, forcing shots from the perimeter rather than challenging at the blue line. It’s a “bend-don’t-break” style that puts a massive tax on Joseph Woll’s high-danger save percentage.
- The Dakota Joshua Void: While Tanev is the headline, losing Dakota Joshua (kidney) is a different kind of sting. Joshua was the engine of the forecheck. Without him, the bottom-six loses its “heaviness,” forcing guys like Steven Lorentz and Jacob Quillan to play above their weight class in defensive-zone starts.
THE SILVER LINING: THE CAPTAIN’S RETURN
The air in the room changed today for one reason: Auston Matthews was back on the ice. While Tanev’s availability is a question mark, Matthews is the exclamation point. He’s the only player on this roster capable of tilting the expected goals (xG) metric single-handedly. If he’s a go for Thursday against Winnipeg, it mitigates a lot of the defensive concern simply by keeping the puck in the offensive zone.
Anthony Stolarz skating is also a massive development. We’ve been riding Woll hard, and while he’s been elite, a 1A/1B tandem is the only way this team survives a depleted blue line over an 82-game grind.
TOP PERFORMERS: CARRYING THE WEIGHT
- Jake McCabe: With Tanev out, McCabe is officially the “hard minutes” leader. He’s leading the team in blocks and hits, essentially doing the work of two men.
- Nicolas Roy: He continues to be the most versatile tool in Berube’s kit. Whether it’s winning a clutch draw or killing a 5-on-3, he is the glue holding the mid-six together.
- Philippe Myers: Let’s give the man credit. He’s been a healthy scratch for long stretches, but he’s stepped into the Tanev-sized hole with a professional “stay-at-home” mentality that hasn’t cost us yet.
THE FINAL WORD
The Tanev situation is frustrating, and the Joshua news is concerning, but the return of the captain changes the math. This team has proven they can win by committee; now they have to do it against a Winnipeg squad that doesn’t care about our injury report.