Chris Tanev hits injured reserve because playing defense with your face has consequences

The Toronto Maple Leafs just did the most predictable thing in hockey: they placed Chris Tanev on injured reserve.

Tanev plays defense like a guy actively trying to get hit by a car, so an IR stint is basically a scheduled event at this point in his career. Daily Faceoff reported the roster move on Monday, officially putting a dent in Toronto's blue line and removing their best human shield from the active roster.

"Daily Faceoff reported the transaction on Monday."

The Leafs have been riding a chaotic wave lately that makes this absence even more glaring. They just outgunned the Colorado Avalanche 6-3 after dropping a tight 4-3 game to the Vegas Golden Knights and edging the Nashville Predators 5-4. That is a whole lot of goals flying around, and losing your premier shot-blocking defenseman is not exactly going to calm things down in their own zone.

Toronto brought Tanev in specifically to be the adult in the room defensively. When you are paying a premium for a guy to eat pucks and clear the crease, you have to accept that his body is going to occasionally demand a factory reset. Now the rest of the defensive corps has to step up and actually play defense, which is a terrifying concept for anyone holding a Leafs under ticket.

Toronto heads out on the road next to face the Utah Hockey Club. We will see how the blue line holds up without its anchor, but expect the goaltending to face a lot more rubber than usual until Tanev gets cleared to return to the firing line.