The Toronto Maple Leafs finally got their guy.
After months of attempting to trade for Chris Tanev, then eventually trading for his rights, Brad Treliving locked up his prized defenseman for a long-term deal that is surely going to make people’s heads turn.
The team announced that they have signed Tanev to a six-year, $4.5M AAV contract prior to the start of free agency. This is a massive splash for the team that has been looking to upgrade its defense for years now, but at what cost?
Tumultuous Tanev
Tanev was undoubtedly one of the best free-agent defensemen on the market and was coveted by a number of teams. The Leafs had wanted him for a while and so to get ahead of the market they traded a seventh-round pick and the rights to Max Ellis to start the conversations earlier.
With the new deal, Tanev gets the same AAV that he was making on his last contract but gets security for six more seasons. The Leafs instantly get a whole lot better on the backend and will get some stability on the PK and at 5v5.
There are just a few issues with this contract that cannot be ignored. Chris Tanev is currently 34 years old, and based on how he plays the game a truly worn 34. He is the truest of warriors in every sense of the word, often putting a blocked shot ahead of his health. The chance that he plays out this contract until he is 40 is unlikely.
To add to that, per Elliotte Friedman, the contract has a full no-move clause throughout and is roughly 80% in bonuses. This makes it nearly impossible to move that deal should they need to down the road, combined with it being nearly buyout proof as well.
Are the Leafs better as a team with Tanev? Absolutely
Are they making the same type of contract mistakes that they made with their core four? Absolutely
Time will tell how long Tanev plays for the team, but in the short term they are going to be much better with him than without him.
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