Chris Tanev is one of the top shutdown defenders in the world and is out to prove it still while also not only fighting injury concerns, bur Father Time as well.
With a few missing teeth but as warm a smile as you'll ever see, Chris Tanev takes pride in putting his body on the line every single time he's on the ice. Whether it be blocking a ton of shots, getting in the faces of opponents, or using his savvy defensive instincts to steal the puck at opportune times - he's carved out a great career.
He also only played in 11 games last year after various injuries took him out. First, we saw Tanev get two very similar head injuries that could been classified as concussions then a core muscle injury that kept him sidelined the rest of the year.
You could tell Toronto had lost their defensive anchor, and questions about his future started to appear.
Though Tanev struggled, he felt like he had let a lot of people down by not staying healthy, and is doing everything in his power to show that he is still one of the top defenders in the game and his reemergence couldn't have come at a better time.
Chris Tanev is one of the world's best defenders and his career numbers are proof
Looking back at Tanev's career, even when he missed time with injuries he was still extremely effective. Only twice in his career (not counting his first few seasons getting acclimated) has he missed more than 40 games, and for a guy who puts his body on the line constantly; it's impressive.
Tanev was hurt for nearly 30 games in 2018-19 for the Canucks and still managed 122 blocks and over 20 minutes TOI despite being injured. From 2013-14 to 2024-25, he's averaged 121 blocks, with a plus-139, 20:16 TOI with an average of only 21 PIM.
Then you look at his possession numbers and he's been great there as well, and one number that's quite intriguing is that Tanev has played 878 career games with only 254 goals against - meaning he's helped prevent a goal against 71.4% of the time he's on the ice.
Currently, Tanev ranks 18th all-time in blocked shots with 1,856 while ranking 30th in the single-season block record (207) and ranks 33rd in single-game blocks (10). A healthy season could see him add another 150+ blocks which would put him nearer names like Duncan Keith while leapfrogging guys like Dan Girardi and Brent Seabrook.
Tanev's resurgence depends on how he holds up against Father Time
But here comes the reality of the situation - Tanev's got some concerns. First, his core injury was a major issue that needed surgery, and we don't know exactly how he's going to feel once the season kicks into full gear. He's got a target on him now, and teams won't be shy about trying to take him out if it gives them an advantage.
Not only that, but he's also 36, and will be 37 in December while still being under contract until 2030 when he'll be 40 years old.
His cap hit isn't awful at only $4.5-million but when you're risking a player who may be out for the majority of the year, it's wasted money and the LTIR relief is gone if he comes back at any point -so goodbye any replacements from outside.
Speaking of replacements, Toronto has a young one in Ben Danford, who is playing a very similar style to Tanev and is under the guidance of another legendary shot-blocker in Mark Giordano. It's only a matter of time before he steps into the lineup and it could push Tanev out.
There's very few players in the NHL who can handle the type of workload that Tanev is expected to at his age, and most certainly there aren't guys in their late 30's willing to sacrifice their health every single night.
But time is the ultimate equalizer, and Tanev can only do so much before it calls him away from the game for good. He's more than capable, but it's a fight that very few men have lived to see the end of.
Will Chris Tanev have a bounce-back season with the Maple Leafs?
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