Flames' Tanev expected to miss at least 2 games, injury comes at favourable point of schedule: Sutter
The Calgary Flames are expecting to be without defensive stalwart Chris Tanev for at least the next two games but head coach Darryl Sutter says there will be opportunities for other blueliners to step up.
The 33-year-old suffered an undisclosed 'upper body injury' in the Flames' overtime win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
"Tanny will miss two games and, if everything goes well, we'll get him back after the break. So if there's any blessing in having a long break, that's it," said Sutter on Wednesday. "Thankfully, with that surgery he had last summer, major surgery, it wasn't that."
The Flames will host the Blackhawks Thursday night before travelling to Seattle for a Friday night game against the Kraken. The team will then have 10 days off before they face the Rangers in New York on Feb. 6.
Sutter says Tanev's injury leaves a void in the team's defensive pairings, but other defensemen will be called upon including Connor Mackey.
"It changes dramatically when you look at it," said Sutter. "Nobody replaces Chris Tanev but I think your defense with guys like Connor coming in and Stoney (Michael Stone) playing a few more minutes in there, but then 'Z' (Nikita Zadorov) goes up a notch, right, and Mackenzie goes back to the right side.
"The only pairing that doesn't get affected is Noah (Hanifin) and Rass (Rasmus Andersson), so they have to continue to be really good players, but then the next four have to take that little bump in their game in terms of some of what Chris does."
Tanev's absence will be felt off the ice as well.
"It's not just the blue line, it's your locker room," said Sutter of Tanev. "Every coach has a handful of players like that where you know you don't have to say nothing or don't have to react, those guys take care of it."
Sutter expects Mackey to make the most of his ice time.
"He's been chomping at the bit. I met with him, I think it was in Chicago, about where he is and that's what happens to lots of defensemen. But we've been getting him to work on both sides to see if that would get him another opportunity, which he hasn't played both sides. Just things like that because you've got to stay ready," said Sutter.
"Connor went four years of school and then two years (in the AHL). It's still, in a lot of ways, it's still a little bit of an apprenticeship."
Taneve has played in 40 games this season, notching one goal and seven assists.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.