Maple Leafs acquire rights to Chris Tanev from the Stars and bring important defender to Toronto

By Chris Johnston, Mark Puleo and Jonas Siegel

The Toronto Maple Leafs are bringing home defenseman Chris Tanev after acquiring his rights from the Dallas Stars on Saturday, the team announced.

In return, Dallas received Toronto’s seventh-round pick for 2026 and the expiring contract of Max Ellis.

🔹 TRADE ALERT 🔹 pic.twitter.com/mDZIuoaX6Y

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 29, 2024

The Toronto native spent the latter part of last season in Dallas after playing four years with the Calgary Flames. The Stars acquired him for a 2024 second-round pick, a conditional 2026 third-round pick and prospect Artem Grushnikov.

The Leafs had tried to sign the rugged defenseman before he was traded to Dallas last season and have now pushed forward to try to sign Tanev before he hits the open market.

Several teams valued him highly and were close to signing his services.

Tanev signed a four-year, $18 million contract with Calgary in 2020. His signing gives Toronto the opportunity to negotiate with Tanev and offer him a contract of up to seven years.

Although Tanev is only 34 years old, it is believed that the Leafs will try to sign him long-term. General manager Brad Treliving wanted to sign at least two defensemen this summer.

The long-term contract seems to be the most interesting and important part of the final signing of Tanev. The Leafs will offer additional years, likely the maximum seven years, with the goal of keeping the salary cap on Tanev’s contract as low as possible. Tanev will end up getting the same salary he would have gotten on a 4-5 year deal, and the Leafs will have more flexibility to improve their roster elsewhere – today and tomorrow.

Tanev spent the first decade of his career with the Vancouver Canucks after going undrafted.

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(Photo: Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)