Maple Leafs' Chris Tanev takes big step, happy to play with good pal Troy Stecher

Chris Tanev’s path back to the Maple Leafs lineup was marked with a significant step on Monday.

With the way the Leafs are sinking in the standings, the return of the veteran defenceman can’t come soon enough.

Tanev, out since Nov. 1 with an upper-body injury, won’t play on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. But he had a positive outlook after taking part in his first practice with contact, having ditched the red sweater worn by injured players.

“Very fluid situation,” Tanev said. “We’re going to go day by day, see how things are progressing. I’m really happy to to be out there with the team and be a full participant.”

When asked whether Tanev could return before Christmas, Leafs coach Craig Berube said: “Good question. It would be great. But we’ll see.”

Goaltender Joseph Woll could make his first start on Tuesday since he was hurt on Dec. 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Berube said that was possible and there is “a chance” Woll will play against the Blackhawks.

Tanev tight-lipped

Tanev didn’t want to shed much light on his injury, which came when he was hit by the Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov and had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher. Whether surgery was an option on the table was not something Tanev had interest in confirming.

“You always think about (his long-term health) and initially when that happened, you talk to doctors and you have to determine the next steps, and what’s best for yourself,” Tanev said. “It was a weird, fluke hit. I want to thank our docs or our trainers and the people in Philly for really taking care of me and making sure that nothing catastrophic was wrong.”

A bonus for Tanev while he was out: The Leafs claiming defenceman Troy Stecher off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 15.

Tanev called Stecher one of his best friends and was in the latter’s wedding party.

“When I learned that we were going to get him, I was pretty pumped up for him to get a new opportunity,” Tanev said. “He works his behind off. Isn’t flashy, but he works like he’s double the size that he actually is.

“He has done such a good job for us.”

Forward Matias Maccelli, meanwhile, missed practice because he was sick. Maccelli has been a healthy scratch for the past seven games.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

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