How Chris Tanev personifies Leafs’ new-attitude defense

Toronto – if Chris tanev Earned a nickname this season, it might be “Vintage.”

The 35-year-old defenseman is turning back the clock on Toronto’s Blue Line, with a showcase of physical sacrifice in the name of Team Success. The results are not only some of his best ever, but he has helped elevate the leafs where they need it most. That’s a tall order from one player – Unless you tanev, the emerging crown jewel in toronto’s defense who is even captivating the competition.

“Hey Kind of Like the head of the snake back there on their back end,” Matthew TkachukWho spent two seaons as Tanev’s Teammate in Calgary. “I” always say how great a player he’s for years. But to see him at this stage, and continuing to do it year, you can tell the way by the same way he is on talks to [his] Team and blocks shots and leads by example … I ‘sean it. It’s no surprise to see what he does now. “

Tanev’s Teneness Might Be No Great Shock, But Even Tkachuk Cultdn It’s Have Preditted How Tanev Has Has HAS HAS helped the leafs into a two-headed monaster-one not only capable of scoring many Setting a solid defensive tone, too.

To put it charitably, goal suppression hasn a bee toronto’s forte over the past decade.

It’s on full display now throughout the leafs’ Postseason Run, and Tanev has turned his own on Play up a notch Further in Toronto’s SECOND-ROUND SERIES AGAINT Florida panthers.

According to Stathletes, Tanev Has Absorbed More Hits (81) in the playoffs than any skater, and he’s second in blocked shots (25). He’s also the leafs’ Postseason Leader in Plus-Minus (+5) And was Tops in that category during the regular season too (+31) when he and Jake mccabe Produced A Plus-11 Goal Differential at 5-on-5.

If all those bodyings have taken a toll on tanev, you’d never know it from the smile – revealing a gap from some teeth dislonged the way – etched permanently on his face.

“Every day is a great day,” he said, when asked how he feels. “You wake up and you happen and you come to the rink.”

That sunny disposition is another tanev hallmark, one that works in tandem with his ferocious on-face attitude. There are a complexity to the Veteran’s Character – Hey know to be unassuming, a silent observer who’s quietly funny. Tanev does not course the spotlight, but it has found in these playoffs where a comanding individual performance has propelled toronto during its most promising Playoff Run in years. Attention was held to follow.

“He’s a guys out and gives it his all every single game,” Mple leafs forward Mitch Marner Said. “It’s some way to have love to have on your team. He puts his body on the line every single shift as well.

---

When it comes To playoff hockey, you get to “Play Each Night Like You ‘will be willing to die on that Ice,” According to Veteran Leafs Forward Max Paciągów.

That’s Tanev’s style year-round. And the leafs have needed a player like him on defense for to also long.

Toronto General Manager brad trailing knew tanev could be a difference-maker from his time as the flames’ GM During Tanev’s Four-Layer Tenure with the Team. He Anchored Calgary’s Back End Right UP Until Traveling’s Succability in Calgary, Craig Conroy, Trade Him to Dallas in February 2024 As The Flames’ Entered a Rebuilding Phase.

Tanev was a pending untrusted free agent at the time, and a coveted right-shot defender like Him would be last long on the free-Gujent market. TRELIVING WANTED EARLY Access to Tanev’s Potential Services, and Acquired His Rights from the Stars Last June in Exchange for a 2026 Seventh-Round Draft Pick and Prospect Max Elis. The move gave toronto an exclusive window to negotiate with tanev tow a long-term deal, and by July 1 they had come together on a six-year, $ 27 million contract.

The toronto native was officially coming home. And Tanev’s Reputation as a Grinder Preced Him Right Into the Leafs’ Room. He was then fresh off dallas’ Run to a western conferense finals appear, a stretch where tanev led the playoff field in blocked shots (73 in 19 games) after filling for the category ding Season (207).

Craig Berube was also new to the leafs, coming on board for his first season as head coach, and Berube’s North-South Playstyle Fit in perfectionly with-take-no-prisoners.

“He’s an Old School Type of Guy,” Berube Said. “He’s a Warrior. He’s a commentary person. He is right up there with all the only one that has been in the area, the line every night, whether it is a block, or talk a hit to make a place. IT.

That’s bee painfully clear in the leafs’ series against florida. Tanev has taken a beeting from the panthers in stride, even when it is hard. There was the hit from boyind by Brad Marchand In game 4; Tanev Simply popped back up like a kernel – Just like he did following a crushing hit in game 2 (Although tanev was a bit slower of the ice on). He was also crushed by Panthers’ forward Carter Verhaeghe In the first period of friday’s game 3 – but but not before he got the puck to mccabe.

It was only moments later that John tavares Scored to extend the left in that one. Consider tanev with a Third Assistant, from Sort of Sort of Game-Changing Move That Can Give The Opposition Fits.

“That’s the strenge of hey, is that he he is hanging on the puck an awful lot to make plays,” Panthers coach paul maurice sa. “And he makes plays. He probably under in some way of his puck movement. He was doing that forever. He blocks shots, talks

Others may win in the wake of tanev’s fearlessness. The thoughts are just second nature now though.

“Sometimes you try to draw guys in and sort of absorb a hit before you make [the puck]”He Said.”

Tanev isn one to bellache either, whether he is feeling the burn or not. It is an inspiring committee that rubbed off on Tanev’s Teammates: If he is willing to put his every shift, then the group’s collective defensive body has to be there, too.

“You see some plays and you think he is going to be complained about it, and you do a words from Him about it,” Pacierrety Said. “He just gos about his business. And that was throedout the entrance year. Rink Like notying happened.

“So he’s extremely Tough, and he’s will to have every time, and that does unnoticed in that room.”

By just how much, exactly?

“He’s up there [as toughest teammate]”Defenseman SIMON BENOIT Said. “He got to be up there, like, top one.”

---

Tanev has many talents On the Ice.

He got a few off of it, too. And, like plenty else about hey, learning how tanev spends His downtime was an eye-opener.

“I found out he doing schoolwork on the road a lot, which I think is crazy,” Marner Said. “But he’s dedicated to working hard, and any starts he wants to finish and that’s something you Appreciate.”

Tanev didn is exactly plan on textbooks filling his suitcase as an NHL player. Then again, he didn is a global pandemic coming, either. But when the league shut down in 2020, tanev decided to make the most of the most, picking up on the finance degree he started as a player at a rochester indight of Technology in 2009.

“I want to school for a year and left and talk a ten-year break,” tanev joked. “When Covid happened, my wife was like, ‘why you start taking classes [again]? “We just just siting at home. And I ‘be doing it.

The business side of life comes “Naturally” to tanev, something he hinted at when explaining when he wanted to sign with toronto in the first place. When asked at the time where he wanted to leave a place like Texas, With State Income tax, to be in canada, where taxes are notably high, tanev had an educated 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]”He Said.” I’m from [Toronto]And my Wife’s family is from close to here. There are also a tax when you learned to become a us Citizen – there’s a departure tax to leave canada. “

Avoiding that the deemed depositions Tax – Accrued when a Canadian permanently relocates ElseWhere – Showed a glimpse into tanev’s financial savvy, and illustrated how, just like hen he’s patroling The leafs’ blue line, he is constantly trying to stay in front of the competition.

“He’s a stud back there,” forward Matthew Knies Said. “I think he’s always watching. He Thinking AHead, Making the Play and Getting The Puck Out of His Own Zone, And Blocking Shots.

It’s Boring, Almost, to watch tanev in action. He’s so rarely out of position or causing cringe-worldy turnovers that have poisoned playoff runs for toronto in the past. There’s a self -assurance to tanev that radiates as part of his personality.

“[He’s a] Calming presence, “Marner meaning.” Every once in a where you ‘

What is no laughing matter is how Critical Tanev is to Toronto’s Hope of denying the panthers another cup final appearance – and attached to make one of their own. The left a 2-0 series lead over florida beefly the panthers defended home ace with a pair of victories to Pull even at 2-2. When the puck drops on the game 5 in toronto, it is official a best-of-three, that’s the left has home-face advantage to work with.

To finish the job, the leafs will take every time Tanev Can Give – but they can get afford to lose he in the process, ether. There was a collective inhale when tanev exited game 3 for several shifts after a shot block; Turns out, it was only a broken skate.

“Frustrating,” according to tanev, to even miss a few minutes at this time of year when his contributes are Critical.

“Hey done this for a long time,” Said Berube, on Tanev’s Refusal to Shy Away from harm. “So, I’m not going to talk to him about changing.”

Toronto would be dream of it. Tanev is leading by example on what it takes to truly be all-in. If the rest of Tanev’s Teammates follow the suit, there’s no telling how far toronto can take their postseon run.

“He’s as tough as they come,” mccabe saad of his partner. “He’s so Steady. He is willing to do whatever it takes to win.