TORONTO — If Chris Tanev earned a nickname this season, it may be “classic.”
The 35-year-old defenseman is popping again the clock on Toronto’s blue line, with a showcase of bodily sacrifice within the title of group success. The outcomes aren’t solely a few of his finest ever, however he has helped elevate the Leafs the place they want it most. That is a tall order from one participant — except you are Tanev, the rising crown jewel in Toronto’s protection who’s even charming the competitors.
“He is sort of like the pinnacle of the snake again there on their again finish,” mentioned Matthew Tkachuk, who spent two seasons as Tanev’s teammate in Calgary. “I’ve at all times mentioned how nice a participant he is been for years. However to see him at this stage, and persevering with to do it 12 months after 12 months, it is unimaginable. You may inform simply by the way in which he conducts himself and talks to [his] group and blocks photographs and leads by instance … I’ve seen it. It is no shock to see what he is doing now.”
Tanev’s tenacity may be no nice shock, however even Tkachuk could not have predicted how Tanev has helped flip the Leafs right into a two-headed monster — one not solely able to scoring many targets, however setting a strong defensive tone, too.
To place it charitably, aim suppression hasn’t been Toronto’s forte over the previous decade.
It is on full show now all through the Leafs’ postseason run, and Tanev has turned his personal play up a notch additional in Toronto’s second-round collection towards the Florida Panthers.
In response to Stathletes, Tanev has absorbed extra hits (81) within the playoffs than any skater, and he is second in blocked photographs (25). He is additionally the Leafs’ postseason chief in plus-minus (+5) and was tops in that class in the course of the common season too (+31) when he and Jake McCabe produced a plus-11 aim differential at 5-on-5.
If all these bodily beatings have taken a toll on Tanev, you’d by no means understand it from the smile — revealing a niche from some tooth dislodged alongside the way in which — etched completely on his face.
“Daily is a good day,” he mentioned, when requested how he is feeling. “You get up and also you’re completely happy and also you come to the rink.”
That sunny disposition is one other Tanev hallmark, one which works in tandem along with his ferocious on-ice perspective. There is a complexity to the veteran’s character — he is recognized to be unassuming, a silent observer who’s quietly humorous. Tanev would not courtroom the highlight, however it has discovered him in these playoffs the place a commanding particular person efficiency has propelled Toronto throughout its most promising playoff run in years. Consideration was sure to comply with.
“He is a man who goes out and offers it his all each single recreation,” Maple Leafs ahead Mitch Marner mentioned. “It is one thing you actually like to have in your group. He places his physique on the road each single shift as effectively. I believe that is why we’re having a lot success is due to him.”
WHEN IT COMES to playoff hockey, you have to “play every night time such as you’re prepared to die on that ice,” based on veteran Leafs ahead Max Pacioretty.
That is Tanev’s fashion year-round. And the Leafs have wanted a participant like him on protection for too lengthy.
Toronto basic supervisor Brad Treliving knew Tanev may very well be a difference-maker from his time because the Flames’ GM throughout Tanev’s four-year tenure with the group. He anchored Calgary’s again finish proper up till Treliving’s successor in Calgary, Craig Conroy, traded him to Dallas in February 2024 because the Flames entered a rebuilding section.
Tanev was a pending unrestricted free agent on the time, and a coveted right-shot defender like him would not final lengthy on the free agent market. Treliving wished early entry to Tanev’s potential companies and purchased his rights from the Stars final June in change for a 2026 seventh-round draft decide and prospect Max Ellis. The transfer gave Toronto an unique window to barter with Tanev towards a long-term deal, and by July 1 they’d come collectively on a six-year, $27 million contract.
The Toronto native was formally coming residence. And Tanev’s status as a grinder preceded him proper into the Leafs’ room. He was then contemporary off Dallas’ run to a Western Convention finals look, a stretch the place Tanev led the playoff discipline in blocked photographs (73 in 19 video games) after ending fourth in that class in the course of the common season (207).
Craig Berube was additionally new to the Leafs, approaching board for his first season as head coach, and Berube’s north-south playstyle slot in completely with Tanev’s take-no-prisoners perspective.
“He is an old-fashioned sort of man,” Berube mentioned. “He is a warrior. He is a aggressive particular person. He is proper up there with all those which have been round, laying his physique on the road each night time, whether or not it is a block, or taking successful to make a play. You title it. He’ll lay it on the road.”
That is been painfully clear within the Leafs’ collection towards Florida. Tanev has taken a beating from the Panthers in stride, even when it has damage. There was the hit from behind by Brad Marchand in Recreation 4; Tanev merely popped again up like a kernel — similar to he did following a crushing hit in Recreation 2 (though Tanev was a bit slower off the ice on that one). He was additionally crushed by Panthers ahead Carter Verhaeghe within the first interval of Friday’s Recreation 3 — however not earlier than he acquired the puck to McCabe.
It was solely moments later that John Tavares scored to increase the Leafs’ lead in that one. Contemplate Tanev with a 3rd help there, from executing the kind of game-changing transfer that may give the opposition suits.
“That is the energy of him, is that he’ll cling onto the puck an terrible lot to make performs,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice mentioned. “And he makes performs. He is most likely underrated in a few of his puck motion. He is been doing that without end. He blocks photographs, takes hits; retains taking part in.”
Others might wince within the wake of Tanev’s fearlessness. The thought course of is simply second nature now although.
“Typically you are making an attempt to attract guys in and kind of take up successful earlier than you progress [the puck],” he mentioned. “In all probability there are some occasions the place I can transfer it a little bit faster, however that is simply playoff hockey and that is what occurs.”
Tanev is not one to bellyache both, whether or not he is feeling the burn or not. It is an inspiring dedication that has rubbed off on Tanev’s teammates: If he is prepared to place his weight into each shift, then the group’s collective defensive effort needs to be there, too.
“You see some performs and also you suppose after the sport he will be complaining about it, and you do not hear a phrase from him about it,” Pacioretty mentioned. “He simply goes about his enterprise. And that was all through all the 12 months. You see a shot block earlier within the 12 months, and you are like, ‘Oh, man, you should be hurting or limping for days’ and he simply comes again to the rink like nothing occurred.
“So he is extraordinarily powerful, and he is prepared to sacrifice every little thing for the group, and that does not go unnoticed in that room.”
By simply how a lot, precisely?
“He is up there [as toughest teammate],” defenseman Simon Benoit mentioned. “He is acquired to be up there, like, high one.”
TANEV HAS MANY TALENTS on the ice.
He is acquired just a few off it, too. And, like lots else about him, studying how Tanev spends his downtime was an eye-opener.
“I came upon he is doing schoolwork on the highway loads, which I believe is loopy,” Marner mentioned. “However he is devoted to working exhausting, and something he begins he needs to complete and that is one thing you recognize. It is spectacular.”
Tanev did not precisely plan on textbooks filling his suitcase as an NHL participant. Then once more, he did not see a world pandemic coming, both. However when the league shut down in 2020, Tanev determined to take advantage of it, choosing up on the finance diploma he began as a participant at Rochester Institute of Know-how in 2009.
“I went to highschool for a 12 months and left and took a ten-year break,” Tanev joked. “When COVID occurred, my spouse was like, ‘why do not you begin taking lessons [again]?” We have been simply sitting at residence. And I have been doing it since. So I am nearly finished.”
The enterprise aspect of life comes “naturally” to Tanev, one thing he hinted at when explaining why he wished to signal with Toronto within the first place. When requested on the time why he would need to depart a spot like Texas, with its low state revenue tax, to be in Canada, the place taxes are notably greater, Tanev had an informed reply.
“You do have the decrease state tax [in Texas], however I’ve performed in Canada for 14 years [between Vancouver and Calgary from 2010-14],” he mentioned. “I am from [Toronto], and my spouse’s household is from near right here. There’s additionally a tax while you depart Canada to turn out to be a U.S. citizen — there is a departure tax to go away Canada.”
Avoiding that deemed depositions tax — accrued when a Canadian completely relocates elsewhere — confirmed a glimpse into Tanev’s monetary savvy, and illustrated how, similar to when he is patrolling the Leafs’ blue line, he’s always making an attempt to remain in entrance of the competitors.
“He is a stud again there,” ahead Matthew Knies mentioned. “I believe he is at all times watching. He is considering forward, making the play and getting the puck out of his personal zone, and blocking photographs. That is what it takes to win.”
It is boring, nearly, to look at Tanev in motion. He is so hardly ever out of place or inflicting cringe-worthy turnovers which have poisoned playoff runs for Toronto up to now. There is a self-assurance to Tanev that radiates as a part of his persona.
“[He’s a] calming presence,” Marner mentioned. “If anybody is aware of him off the ice, he is one-of-a-kind, he is very calm and to himself. Each now and again you will hear him make a joke, which is normally fairly humorous.”
What is not any laughing matter is how essential Tanev is to Toronto’s hope of denying the Panthers one other Cup Ultimate look — and trying to make considered one of their very own. The Leafs held a 2-0 collection lead over Florida earlier than the Panthers defended residence ice with a pair of victories to drag even at 2-2. When the puck drops on Recreation 5 in Toronto, it is formally a best-of-three, although the Leafs nonetheless have home-ice benefit to work with there.
To complete the job, the Leafs will take every little thing Tanev may give — however they cannot afford to lose him within the course of, both. There was a collective inhale when Tanev exited Recreation 3 for a number of shifts after a shot block; seems, it was solely a damaged skate.
“Irritating,” based on Tanev, to even miss a couple of minutes presently of 12 months when his contributions are essential.
“He is finished this for a very long time,” mentioned Berube, on Tanev’s refusal to draw back from hurt. “So, I am not going to speak to him about altering.”
Toronto would not dream of it. Tanev is main by instance on what it takes to really be all-in. If the remainder of Tanev’s teammates comply with go well with, there is no telling how far Toronto can take their postseason run.
“He is as powerful as they arrive,” McCabe mentioned of his companion. “He is so regular. He is prepared to do no matter it takes to win. We’re fortunate to have him.”
