Leafs Provide Surprising Update on Chris Tanev Ahead of Thursday's Game Against Florida

Injured in the first period against the Boston Bruins at the end of February, Chris Tanev has missed the last six games due to a shoulder injury.

The Leafs are 3-2-1 in those six games, but they have looked out of sync defensively without their most stable and reliable defenseman. Initially thought to be a day-to-day issue, Tanev may finally be set to return to the lineup after more than two weeks away.

Following a brief morning skate on Thursday, Craig Berube confirmed that Tanev is a game-time decision for the Leafs tonight. Based on the comments from Tanev on Wednesday, his ability to play Thursday will be determined by the 'medical timeline' the team has set.

Given that Tanev did not stay on the ice after the morning skate for extra work and Philippe Myers did, he may very well be trending towards making his much anticipated return. Should he return, Berube will be able to deploy his best defensive pairing in Tanev and Jake McCabe once again, and slot in the newly acquired Brandon Carlo with Morgan Rielly.

While Thursday's game against the Panthers is an important game, many fans are more hesitant to throw the 35-year-old back into the lineup against a heavy forechecking team and risking further injury. However, Tanev is a gamer, and if he's good to go, I'm sure he'll play.