TORONTO — If Chris Tanev were to receive a nickname this season, `Vintage` might be fitting. The 35-year-old defenseman is rolling back the years on Toronto`s blue line, showcasing a commitment to physical sacrifice for the good of the team. His performance is not only among his personal best, but he`s significantly bolstered the Leafs in their most crucial area. This is a substantial impact from one player, but Tanev has emerged as a cornerstone of Toronto`s defense, even earning praise from rivals.
He`s kind of like the head of the snake back there on their back end… You can tell just by the way he conducts himself and talks to [his] team and blocks shots and leads by example … I`ve seen it. It`s no surprise to see what he`s doing now.
Tanev`s tenacity might be expected, but even former teammate Matthew Tkachuk might not have predicted how Tanev would help transform the Leafs into a team capable of both high-powered scoring and solid defense.
To be generous, preventing goals hasn`t been a strength for Toronto over the past decade. However, their defensive improvements are evident throughout the current postseason. Tanev himself has elevated his game further in the second-round series against the Florida Panthers.
According to Stathletes, Tanev has absorbed the most hits (81) among all skaters in the playoffs and ranks second in blocked shots (25). He also leads the Leafs in postseason plus-minus (+5), having finished atop that category during the regular season (+31) where he and defensive partner Jake McCabe posted a plus-11 goal differential at 5-on-5.
Despite the physical toll, Tanev rarely shows it. A gap-toothed smile, earned through numerous on-ice battles, is a frequent sight.
Every day is a great day. You wake up and you`re happy and you come to the rink.
This cheerful attitude is another Tanev trademark, complementing his fierce on-ice approach. He`s known for a complex character – unassuming, quietly observant, and often funny. Tanev doesn`t seek attention, but his commanding individual performance during Toronto`s most promising playoff run in years has inevitably put him in the spotlight.
He`s a guy who goes out and gives it his all every single game. It`s something you really love to have on your team. He puts his body on the line every single shift as well. I think that`s why we`re having so much success is because of him.
PLAYING WITH SACRIFICE
Veteran Leafs forward Max Pacioretty suggests that playoff hockey requires players to “play each night like you`re willing to die on that ice.” That describes Tanev`s style year-round, and the Leafs have needed a player like him on defense for a long time.
Toronto general manager Brad Treliving recognized Tanev`s potential impact from their shared time in Calgary. Tanev anchored the Flames` defense until Treliving`s successor traded him to Dallas in February 2024. A coveted right-shot defender like Tanev wouldn`t remain available for long as a pending unrestricted free agent. Treliving sought early access to his services, acquiring his rights from the Stars last June in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick and prospect Max Ellis. This gave Toronto an exclusive window to negotiate a long-term deal, resulting in a six-year, $27 million contract by July 1.
The Toronto native was officially coming home, his reputation as a relentless player preceding him into the Leafs` locker room. He was fresh off Dallas` run to the Western Conference finals, where he led the playoff field in blocked shots (73 in 19 games) after finishing fourth during the regular season (207).
Craig Berube, also new to the Leafs as head coach, brought a direct, north-south playing style that perfectly aligned with Tanev`s take-no-prisoners approach.
He`s an old school type of guy. He`s a warrior. He`s a competitive person. He`s right up there with all the ones that have been around, laying his body on the line every night, whether it`s a block, or taking a hit to make a play. You name it. He`s going to lay it on the line.
This commitment has been particularly evident in the series against Florida. Tanev has endured the Panthers` physical game, popping back up from jarring hits, like the one from Brad Marchand in Game 4 or another crushing hit in Game 2. In Game 3, he was hit hard by Carter Verhaeghe but still managed to move the puck to Jake McCabe just moments before John Tavares scored to extend the Leafs` lead. Consider that a third assist for Tanev – executing the kind of game-altering play that frustrates opponents.
That`s the strength of him, is that he`ll hang onto the puck an awful lot to make plays. And he makes plays. He`s probably underrated in some of his puck movement. He`s been doing that forever. He blocks shots, takes hits; keeps playing.
While others might wince at Tanev`s fearlessness, it`s simply second nature for him now.
Sometimes you`re trying to draw guys in and sort of absorb a hit before you move [the puck]. Probably there are some times where I can move it a little quicker, but that`s just playoff hockey and that`s what happens.
Tanev isn`t one to complain, regardless of how he`s feeling. His inspiring commitment has a clear effect on his teammates: if he`s willing to exert maximum effort every shift, the group`s collective defensive intensity must follow suit.
You see some plays and you think after the game he`s going to be complaining about it, and you don`t hear a word from him about it. He just goes about his business… So he`s extremely tough, and he`s willing to sacrifice everything for the team, and that doesn`t go unnoticed in that room.
How impactful is he? Defenseman Simon Benoit ranks him among the toughest.
He`s up there [as toughest teammate]. He`s got to be up there, like, top one.
OFF-ICE PERSPECTIVE
Tanev possesses many talents on the ice, and he has a few off it as well. Learning how he spends his downtime has been a revelation to some.
I found out he`s doing schoolwork on the road a lot, which I think is crazy. But he`s dedicated to working hard, and anything he starts he wants to finish and that`s something you appreciate. It`s impressive.
Textbooks weren`t exactly in Tanev`s original plan as an NHL player. But the global pandemic in 2020 provided an opportunity. Tanev decided to make the most of it, resuming the finance degree he began at Rochester Institute of Technology in 2009.
I went to school for a year and left and took a ten-year break. When COVID happened, my wife was like, `why don`t you start taking classes [again]?` We were just sitting at home. And I`ve been doing it since. So I`m almost done.
The business world comes “naturally” to Tanev, a trait he hinted at when explaining his decision to sign with Toronto. Asked why he`d leave Texas, with its low state income tax, for Canada`s higher taxes, Tanev provided an informed answer.
You do have the lower state tax [in Texas], but I`ve played in Canada for 14 years [between Vancouver and Calgary from 2010-14]. I`m from [Toronto], and my wife`s family is from close to here. There`s also a tax when you leave Canada to become a U.S. citizen — there`s a departure tax to leave Canada.
Avoiding the deemed disposition tax – incurred when a Canadian permanently moves abroad – illustrated Tanev`s financial awareness and how, like his play on the blue line, he`s always trying to stay ahead.
He`s a stud back there. I think he`s always watching. He`s thinking ahead, making the play and getting the puck out of his own zone, and blocking shots. That`s what it takes to win.
Watching Tanev can almost feel uneventful; he`s rarely out of position or responsible for the costly turnovers that have plagued past Toronto playoff efforts. There`s a quiet confidence about him that`s part of his personality.
[He`s a] calming presence. If anyone knows him off the ice, he`s one-of-a-kind, he`s very calm and to himself. Every once in a while you`ll hear him make a joke, which is usually pretty funny.
What is certainly no joke is Tanev`s crucial role in Toronto`s attempt to prevent the Panthers from reaching another Cup Final and potentially making one of their own. After holding a 2-0 series lead, the Leafs saw Florida defend home ice to tie the series at 2-2. Game 5 in Toronto began a best-of-three, with the Leafs retaining home-ice advantage.
To succeed, the Leafs need everything Tanev can provide, but they absolutely cannot afford to lose him. There was widespread concern when Tanev briefly left Game 3 after blocking a shot; it turned out to be only a broken skate.
Tanev called missing even a few minutes at this critical time `frustrating.`
Regarding Tanev`s willingness to put himself in harm`s way, Coach Berube commented, “He`s done this for a long time. So, I`m not going to talk to him about changing.”
Toronto wouldn`t dream of it. Tanev sets the standard for what it truly means to be fully committed. If the rest of the team follows his example, there`s no limit to how far the Maple Leafs can advance in their postseason run.
He`s as tough as they come. He`s so steady. He`s willing to do whatever it takes to win. We`re lucky to have him.
Rupert Hartwell