The Toronto Maple Leafs completed a trade for pending restricted free agent Chris Tanev on Saturday, June 29. They now have exclusive negotiating rights ahead of free agency.
The Leafs sent forward Max Ellis and a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft to the Dallas Stars. In return, they got 34-year-old Tanev.
That is, of course, if he gets there without a contract extension in place. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Toronto will offer Tanev a contract for “six-year at around $4 million.”
Friedman also recorded a solo 32 Thoughts podcast episode on June 29. He added more information about the Leafs trade and negotiations with Tanev.
“Chris Tanev, at the end of the draft, he was traded from Dallas to Toronto. The Stars really tried hard to keep him,” Friedman reported. “It is expected that the Maple Leafs are going to offer him at least six years to spread out the money over the term.
“Looks like it’s going to work with Toronto and Tanev. That is Toronto’s tactic and it’s expected to be good enough to get it done.”
Chris Tanev Was Maple Leafs No. 1 Target
The rumors emerging ahead of free agency always pointed toward a clear interest by Toronto in the now-former Stars defenseman.
Friedman wrote about it in a “Rumor Roundup” article published at Sportsnet on June 27, highlighting Tanev as the Maple Leafs’ top target come July 1.
“Knowing Treliving, I think Tanev is the guy he likes the most,” Friedman said on the Jeff Marek Show on June 27, via Sportsnet. “He likes his game, he likes him personally and he knows him.”
Tanev completed his four-year, $18 million deal when the Stars were eliminated from the postseason in May. He scored 2 goals and 17 assists for 19 points in 75 regular season games in 2023-24.
The blueliner already played for current Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving when he was with the Calgary Flames.
Tanev is one of the best defensemen available assuming he enters the market without a new deal signed in Toronto. By completing the trade for his rights, the Leafs teased some fears about losing him to another franchise in free agency.
PuckPedia projects Toronto to enter July 1 with $19.7 million in cap space.
Maple Leafs GM Comments on Chris Tanev’s Trade
Speaking from Las Vegas where the 2024 draft was held over the weekend, Toronto’s GM spoke to reporters and discussed the Maple Leafs trade for Tanev.
“We talked since the end of the year about trying to help ourselves on defense,” Treliving said, via Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com. “As it got closer and it looked like potentially (Tanev) is not going to be signing in Dallas, we wanted to jump the queue here as best we could and get to him before free agency started. So that’s what we’re going to do.
“I know the player well. We’ll get to work on it now. At least excited to have an opportunity to speak directly with him and see if we can put something together.”
The Vancouver Canucks welcomed Tanev to the NHL signing him as an undrafted free agent on May 31, 2010. After that, he played for the Flames and the Stars.
Tanev has amassed 190 points (33 goals, 157 assists) in 792 regular-season games playing for the Stars, Flames and Canucks. He has added 13 points (1 goal, 12 assists) in 60 playoff games.
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