Maple Leafs double down on who they want to replace Chris Tanev

With Chris Tanev injured, the Maple Leafs are going to need a shutdown defender and Zach Whitecloud makes sense, and reports show they are focused on adding him.

Saturday night came with a much-needed Maple Leafs win as they managed to slay the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche but it came with a heavy cost. Defenseman Chris Tanev left the game in the first period after a seemingly innocuous hit that seemed to give him some whiplash.

After the circumstances of last season, it was not a good sign:

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It makes things a lot harder for Toronto and those reports that they wanted another blue liner become even more interesting knowing that Tanev could be out. We already reported that Zach Whitecloud could be a great fit - and the Maple Leafs want to go after him.

Toronto has eyes on Zach Whitecloud and the timing couldn't be more important

Per David Pagnotta the Maple Leafs are a team that were already looking at a shutdown defender like Whitecloud, and he thinks that talks will get a bit more in-depth especially with Tanev out:

I mentioned...Toronto being a team that's looking at that type of defenseman; wouldn't surprise me at all if they escalate those conversations with Calgary; they won't be the only ones.

Whitecloud, 29, is known for laying down punishing hits and putting his body on the line. He's averaged over 100 hits and blocks over his past five seasons as well. Maple Leafs fans will be familiar with him as the player who laid a questionable hit on Matthew Knies - causing an online firestorm.

With Tanev now out, there's going to be anions on Toronto to replace him at least temporarily, and Whitecloud provides a reliable option that also adds another layer of protection as he won't mind stepping up to opponents if needed.

What it will cost the Maple Leafs to acquire Whitecloud

As we saw with the Predators and Canadiens, defense is going to cost assets. If Jayden Struble can get a second-rounder for his services, then someone like Whitecloud - coveted by Toronto and others - will fetch more for sure.

Whether that be a first-round pick or a prospect in addition to a second-rounder, that's an expensive price to pay for Tanev's replacement, especially when the team already has a signed Nick Blankenburg who can step in.

But he's not the type of defenseman that Whitecloud or Tanev are and if the Maple Leafs want to ensure they have enough protection in front of Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz, they have to target a big-bodied blue liner.

What that costs remains to be seen and won't be known if and when Whitecloud is traded. But with Toronto already down a key player six games into the season, they have no excuse now and can't wait for something to fall into their lap.

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