Toronto Maple Leafs lose their top defenseman on Monday prior to game against the Jets

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been dealt a big blow ahead of the Christmas break, as one of their biggest defencemen will be out of the lineup.

Earlier on today, Leafs head coach Craig Berube mentioned to the media there may be some last-minute lineup decisions heading into today's affair against the Winnipeg Jets. It would now appear we know exactly what he meant.

The Leafs' public relations department announced that veteran defenseman Chris Tanev, with a lower-body injury, won't be available to play.

He's been a main cog for the team's top shutdown defensive pair this season, partnered with fellow veteran Jake McCabe.

The two have consistently taken on the league's toughest matchups and given the Leafs a reliable defensive backbone that can neutralize some of the NHL's most dangerous offensive threats.

Known for his rugged, physical brand of hockey, Chris Tanev has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career.

But the 35-year-old was healthy this year up until this point, having gotten into every game for the Leafs, raising some questions about his absence simply because of his age and where he fits in with the Leafs defensively.

We will await further developments to see just exactly how serious this injury is and how much time he could miss. If there's one silver lining, it's that the team will be off for the next three days during the break, as they hope for his recovery.