As the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to end their season in heartbreak year after year, a lack of physicality and toughness has become a common criticism that fans sling at them. Well, the front office is looking to immediately address that problem during the offseason.
The Leafs are completing a trade with the Dallas Stars for the rights to veteran defenseman Chris Tanev in exchange for forward Max Ellis and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and NHL.com.
The 34-year-old, who is a Toronto native, is set to become a free agent by July 1 if a new contract is not signed. But one would obviously presume that his new team is prepared to get a deal done in light of this transaction. Committing a high term like seven years, while admittedly unusual for a player of this age, can give the franchise more financial flexibility.
General manager Brad Treliving had his sights set on Tanev and pulled the trigger right before he selected defenseman Nathan Mayes with the final pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Saturday. While there is still work to be done, the Maple Leafs seem intent on tweaking their identity a bit.
Stars saving cap space for another talent
There was always a decent chance the Stars viewed Tanev as a rental who could help boost them into the Stanley Cup Final. They acquired him in a three-team deal from the Calgary Flames at the end of February. He recorded five points, 36 blocks and 20 hits with an average time on ice of 19:13 in 19 regular season games with Dallas and earned a bigger role during the playoffs (73 blocks in 19 postseason matchups).
The Stars take on the expiring contract of Max Ellis, a 24-year-old who has yet to skate in the NHL. They will be looking to invest elsewhere in free agency now that Chris Tanev has been sent to Toronto. Vancouver Canucks midseason acquisition and now-free agent Nikita Zadorov could fill the open slot. Though, the Leafs might also be in the mix for the 29-year-old Russian.
While Dallas keeps trying to figure out how it can get its hands back on the Stanley Cup, Toronto is desperate to become a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. Perhaps the Tanev trade can start to push the team in the right direction.
Leafs fans have waited long enough for meaningful change
Brad Treliving was brought into The Six to end a tiresome trend of big-game mishaps and underachieving. That has yet to take shape, following an agonizing first-round defeat to the Boston Bruins in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs. Though, now the GM gets to pick his head coach, and he has chosen someone who achieved what the Leafs have not in almost 60 years– winning a championship.
Craig Berube took over for the St. Louis Blues when they fired Mike Yeo in 2018 and led the team to a thrilling title run less than seven months later. He is now hoping to bring everything together in Toronto.
Tanev figures to be a key part of that vision. But the Maple Leafs have to sign him first.
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