Chris Tanev, Jake Muzzin and the Price of Being a Warrior

It’s hard, when you think about Chris Tanev’s difficult rehab and his determination to get ready for the upcoming season, not to remember former Maple Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin. I find myself thinking about that comparison now. Not because their injuries are the same. They aren't. And that's important. But because both players represent something Maple Leafs fans have always loved in a defenceman: toughness without much fuss. The willingness to block the shot, take the hit, battle in front of the net and come back for the next shift as if nothing happened.

That's Tanev, and it was Muzzin. And maybe that's the problem.

Tanev is 36 now, and he has just gone through what he describes as an extremely difficult rehabilitation. He says he feels good. He says he still loves playing. He says he's worked extremely hard and hopes to be ready to “rumble” when training camp opens. I believe him. That's Chris Tanev. I'm sure if you gave him the choice, he'd probably be putting on his equipment tomorrow morning.

But the doctors haven't cleared him yet. That little detail is the whole story.

I remember watching Muzzin's situation unfold and thinking how quickly hockey can change. One minute you're talking about a defenceman being tough and dependable, and the next you're wondering whether playing hockey is worth the potential consequences. Muzzin didn't simply decide he was finished. His body eventually made that decision for him.

There’s a more important question than whether Tanev will be ready for training camp.

That's why Tanev's situation deserves a little more thought than simply asking whether he'll be ready for Day 1 of camp. Of course the Maple Leafs want him back. They need him. Tanev brings a kind of defensive reliability that isn't easily replaced. But Toronto doesn't need Tanev to prove anything in September. He has already proved what kind of hockey player he is.

What the Leafs need now is to protect the man who has been that player. I know that's easier said than done. Professional athletes don't usually become professional athletes by listening to the voice saying, “Maybe take another week.” Tanev wants to play. He wants to be with his teammates. He wants to work. That's part of what makes him valuable. But sometimes taking care of a warrior means telling him he doesn't have to be a warrior today.

The Maple Leafs have other blue liners they can audition.

The Maple Leafs have younger defencemen. They have options. They have a long season ahead. If Tanev needs more time, give him more time. Because the goal isn't to get Chris Tanev back for the first day of training camp. The goal is to get Chris Tanev back safely — and, if possible, keep him healthy enough to enjoy whatever comes after hockey, too.

That's the uncomfortable part of this story. As fans, we love the warriors. But we also have to remember that they’re human beings, and they will have lives after hockey.