Chris Tanev is a fine player, and if the Toronto Maple Leafs sign him, they will have a nice little three in Rielly-Tanev-McCabe, which would be the start of a very decent blue-line….if they were the team’s 2-3-4 defensemen rather than its 1-2-3 defencemen.
The problem with Chris Tanev is that he is 34 years old and statistically the fourth best defender on a team that is now weaker than the Toronto Maple Leafs.
That isn’t the kind of increase that gets you to the Stanley Cup Final, and it barely improves the Leafs’ current situation.
That is not to suggest that I would not welcome the inclusion of Chris Tanev. I loved Luke Schenn’s addition last year as well; but, I didn’t appreciate how high in the lineup he was played. As brilliant as Schenn is at what he does, putting him on the ice alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner did not help the club.
The Leafs must absorb the lesson Luke Schenn taught them: when paired with offensive players, a prototypical playoff defense causes more harm than good.
Chris Tanev helps the Toronto Maple Leafs, but not significantly.
The same thing will happen if the Leafs sign Chris Tanev: he will be overplayed and overused, and he will spend a lot of time on the ice with the Leafs’ offensive players, hurting the team’s strengths.
Four years ago, Chris Tanev would have been comparable to Jake Muzzin. Chris Tanev is still decent, but no longer exceptional. If he is the Leafs’ second-best blue-line addition, that is another matter.
The names out there are disappointing, so if the Leafs want to upgrade their blue line, they will have to look outside the box.
The Leafs need to add a clear-cut superstar defense to the top of their lineup. After that, they need to acquire a puck mover who can assist them score more goals while still fitting into their team’s makeup.
Adding Tanev might improve the Leafs, but their fundamental issue is that, aside from Rielly, no one on their blue line is very skilled at moving the puck. Liljegren is good at it, but the coach does not trust him, and he will never attain his full potential under Sheldon Keefe.
• \tAll-Star Draft, Maple Leafs Trade Rumors, Big Trades Going Down • \tIf Saros Is Available, As Rumored, the Maple Leafs Need to Be All-In • \tToronto Maple Leafs Second Half Predictions • \t4 Players to Trade As Soon As Possible
So, while I expect the Leafs to trade for Chris Tanev, I completely expect them to overpay for him and overlook more important issues in order to do so. My only hope is that another team will agree to pay more than the Leafs are prepared to.
