The Maple Leafs made a huge play in a potential signing of Stars D-man Chris Tanev, gaining the rights to the player ahead of free agency via trade.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in dire need of help on defense – and that’s probably the worst-kept secret in hockey right now.
So it was hardly a surprise to see the Maple Leafs confirm their interest in signing veteran blueliner Chris Tanev by making a trade Saturday afternoon with the Dallas Stars.
The Leafs gave up a seventh-round draft pick in 2026, as well as fringe forward prospect Max Ellis, to get the rights to the 34-year-old Tanev, who is still scheduled to be a UFA once the free agent market opens up on Monday.
But by acquiring Tanev’s rights, Leafs GM Brad Treliving is sending Tanev and agent Wade Arnott a clear message – namely, that he’s a priority for Toronto. That should make all the difference when it comes to locking Tanev into a long-term contract, likely between $5 million to $6 million per season and potentially around five years.
As a right-shot D-man and a physical force, Tanev will be an asset the Leafs simply did not have last season. It would be a major letdown if they couldn’t get Tanev to sign with his hometown Toronto team now that they've dealt for his negotiating rights.
There’s still the matter of Treliving going out and signing or trading for a veteran goaltender to form a tandem with youngster Joseph Woll, but Tanev is an aggressive defender and shot blocker who will likely thrive under new Buds coach Craig Berube. He had 207 blocked shots and 19 points in 75 games this past season while averaging 19:41 of ice time per game. Eventually, there may be regrets about the length of his looming new contract, but that’s a worry for another day.
For now, at least, Treliving is on the verge of signing a defenseman who many teams had interest in – and all for the cost of a late draft pick and a player in Ellis who was far down the Leafs’ depth chart. That’s a major win for Toronto brass and a sign that not all may be lost for cynical Leafs fans who were worried the Buds would wind up with no new look on their back end.
Tanev isn’t a superstar by any stretch, but he’s an above-average D-man who understands what it means to play in Toronto, and it’s now highly likely he’s going to commit to playing for the Leafs for the foreseeable future.
With this trade, Treliving has put the ball squarely in Toronto’s court as it pertains to Tanev’s services, and the Leafs will be a significantly tougher team to play against with Tanev wearing Blue and White. Give Treliving credit for getting out in front of this asset and doing his utmost to add the grit and experience Toronto needs more of.