Christopher Tanev could be out for the start of next season at the Calgary Flames due to a shoulder dislocation that will require surgery.
The defender said he expects to be out for 4-6 months after having surgery next week. Tanev was injured in Game 6 of the first round of the Western Conference against the Dallas Stars on May 13.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Tanev said Saturday. “After the surgery, I’m sure our medical staff will have more updates on how it went and more than an exact period of time. I didn’t have a sprained neck and I had a dislocated shoulder, not a separate shoulder. surgery is in my labrum, which is torn. “
The 32-year-old missed four games before returning to Game 4 of the second round against the Edmonton Oilers. He wasn’t expected to play, but he had an assist, his only point in eight Stanley Cup Playoff games this season, at 7:24 p.m.
“Everyone wants to play every game, especially in the playoffs,” Tanev said. “I’m not the first to play injured and I won’t be the last. If I feel like I can get out on the ice and try to help the team, that’s what I’d like to do.”
Tanev played 22:08 in Game 5, fourth in the Flames behind Noah Hanifin (23:24), Rasmus Andersson (22:34) and Mikael Backlund (22:30). Calgary lost 5-4 in overtime and was eliminated in the series at best of 7.
“When you lose good players, it has an impact,” Flames general manager Brad Treliving said. “… When you take out Chris Tanev, look at the minutes. Look at the minutes of the situation, the penalty, the hard [to] match against the best players, so it certainly had an impact, but that’s the playoffs. “
Tanev had a maximum of 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) this season, playing 82 games for the first time in the NHL. It was his 12th NHL season and his second with Calgary.