Chris Tanev stands out as a top right-shot defenseman available in the market. In a recent article by Frank Seravalli on Daily Faceoff, potential destinations for the impending unrestricted free agent from the Calgary Flames were explored.
Tanev, a 34-year-old defenseman, may not be known for high point production, contributing only one goal and nine points in 46 games this season. However, his forte lies in his defensive capabilities. Notably, he frequently faces elite competition, logging 309.2 minutes against players classified as elite by Woodmoney. Remarkably, the Flames have a positive goal differential with Tanev on the ice against elite opponents, scoring 16 goals and allowing only seven.
In the broader context of five-on-five play, Tanev maintains a 50.82% goal share and a 51.07% expected goal share in 748:07 minutes of play. Furthermore, he leads the Flames in penalty kill minutes with 122:13, surpassing Elias Lindholm by almost six minutes and holding an approximately 11-minute advantage over the next defenseman in line.
Examining Seravalli’s piece, he outlines seven potential destinations for Tanev, with particular emphasis on the Vancouver Canucks, the sole Pacific Division team mentioned. The connection is strengthened by Tanev’s previous tenure with the Canucks from 2010 to 2020. Another Western Conference contender, the Dallas Stars, is also cited.
The remaining five teams belong to the Eastern Conference: the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, and the Florida Panthers. The Toronto Maple Leafs emerge as the most plausible fit for Tanev, given their defensive struggles in the current season and a longstanding interest in him dating back to the season’s commencement. On the contrary, the Pittsburgh Penguins seem to be the least suitable option due to an already robust right-side defense with Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson, suggesting a need for an upgrade on the left side instead.
Seravalli’s article also provides examples of comparable trades from previous years, and interestingly, all three involve former players from the Calgary Flames. The initial trade mentioned involves Mark Giordano, where the Toronto Maple Leafs traded a 2022 second-round pick, a 2023 second-round pick, and a 2024 third-round pick for the former captain with 50% retention. In return, the Leafs also acquired Colin Blackwell.
A second comparable trade featured Brett Kulak being traded to the Edmonton Oilers with 50% retention. The Montréal Canadiens received a 2022 second-round pick (which turned out to be Lane Hutson), along with a 2024 seventh-round pick and William Lagesson.
The last trade discussed was executed by the Flames and was the only one that could have potentially involved a first-rounder. In this trade, Kris Russell was sent to Dallas in exchange for a 2016 second-rounder, along with Jyrki Jokipakka and Brett Pollock. Notably, neither Jokipakka nor Pollock currently play in the National Hockey League or in North America.
A similar trade scenario involved the Montreal Canadiens trading Ben Chiarot to the Florida Panthers with 50% retention. In return, the Canadiens received a conditional first-round pick, which was eventually utilized in the subsequent season when the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup final. Additionally, Montreal acquired a 2022 fourth-round pick from the trade.
Given the reported interest from over 10 teams in Chris Tanev, as per Rick Dhaliwal, the Flames could potentially secure a deal closer to what Chiarot received. The competitive bidding environment might drive up the price, making teams more eager to meet the Flames’ potential demands.
In any case, it will be intriguing to observe the return the Flames secure for Tanev, as this trade holds significant importance in reshaping the team for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
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