The loss of Chris Tanev leaves big gaps in Dallas’ defense

The Dallas Stars have already seen significant roster changes this offseason. With the confirmed retirement of Joe Pavelski and several players being UFAs, there are big questions about how the Stars’ roster will fare this upcoming season. Another major change creates even more holes for the team to fill before the preseason.

The rights to Chris Tanev were recently announced as part of a trade between the Dallas Stars and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dallas received Max Ellis’ expiring contract and the Leafs’ 7th round pick in the 2026 draft. These components may not bear fruit for the team and certainly won’t pay off anytime soon.

Max Ellis plays primarily on the right side and won’t directly fill the void left by Tanev’s impending absence. Sam Steel was re-signed, but as a center, he won’t fill the gaps in the team’s defense. After the recent changes, fans have more questions than answers about the lineup projections for next season.

With Ellis being young and largely untested in the NHL, having gone undrafted and most recently playing for the Toronto Marlies, GM Jim Nill could be playing the long game. In the past, this has paid off with draft picks like Jake Oettinger, Miro Heiskanen, Wyatt Johnston, and even Logan Stankoven. Several other players in the pipeline have the potential to offer strong futures. However, the team has proven to be a playoff contender in recent years with nothing to show for it. Normally, the focus would be on filling holes in the team. Instead, the Stars appear to be undergoing a turnaround, especially with only one of three selections in this year’s NHL Draft being a defenseman.

Given the Stars’ few trades, Nill was already being questioned around the trade deadline last season. Chris Tanev was the bottom line and effectively strengthened the defensive core. Even though the playoffs did not go in the Stars’ favor, there is no doubt that Tanev had a major impact and provided plenty of noticeable effort throughout the run. Now Dallas has exposed its defensive weaknesses again and there is no telling if this decision will benefit them in the long run. While youth is important, keeping Tanev with the Maple Leafs could prove more disastrous than beneficial for the Dallas Stars next season.