Tanev is believed to have been of interest to Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving for some time now.
Tanev is believed to have been of interest to Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving for some time now.
The NHL trade deadline is a little over five weeks away, but that hasn't stopped trade chatter as clubs begin to recognize what kind of season they are having.
That includes the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have reportedly expressed interest in Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev.
On the latest installment of TSN's Insider Trading, TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger reports that the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs are among teams interested in the defenseman.
"I can tell you that the Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs most definitely have a keen interest in Tanev," Dreger said.
The Maple Leafs' interest in the Flames defenseman isn't new. It was reported earlier in the season that Toronto attempted to land both Tanev and defenseman Nikita Zadorov as part of a package from Calgary, but it never materialized.
Zadorov ended up being shipped to the Vancouver Canucks, after lots of speculation that was also driven by Zadorov's agent, Dan Milstein.
Tanev is in the final year of a four-year contract that carries a salary cap hit of $4.5 million per season. If the Maple Leafs were to acquire the Toronto native, it would seem to be as a rental unless a contract extension was agreed to before any trade.
Ottawa's interest is notable as the team doesn't appear destined for the NHL playoffs with a 19-25-2 record.
Dreger indicates that all signs point to Tanev wanting to be traded to a contender.
"As I was reminded, doesn’t Chris Tanev have to make a decision? Is he chasing the Stanley Cup this year? And if the answer to that is yes, then that’s going to factor significantly into his destination of choice," Tanev said.
The Maple Leafs don't have any cap space to acquire a contract like Tanev. They may require the Flames or a third-party broker to eat some of the 34-year-old player's salary cap hit.
Tanev has one goal and eight assists in 46 games with the Flames this season. A right-handed shot, he could fit in as a potential top-four addition to Toronto's blue line that could use a boost after the addition of John Klingberg didn't work out. Signed to a one-year, $4.15 million contract this summer, the offensive defenseman was shut down for the season with hip surgery after just 14 games.
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The NHL trade deadline is Mar. 8 at 3 p.m. ET.
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