Toronto Maple Leafs Secure Exclusive Signing Rights to Defenseman Chris Tanev from Dallas Stars

Saturday, June 29th, 2024

The Toronto Maple Leafs have secured the rights to defenseman Chris Tanev through a trade with the Dallas Stars on Saturday. In exchange, the Leafs gave up a 2026 seventh-round draft pick and prospect Max Ellis.

Tanev, who is 34 years old, is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Maple Leafs now have an exclusive window to negotiate and sign him before he becomes available to other teams.

Known for his skills as a right-shot defender, Tanev would serve as an ideal top-pairing partner for Morgan Rielly, boosting the Maple Leafs' defense.

The Leafs previously tried to obtain Tanev during the March trade deadline but were unsuccessful. He was subsequently traded to Dallas, where he recorded one goal and five points in 19 games.

Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving, who has experience working with Tanev in Calgary from 2020 to 2023, aimed to gain an advantage when it became clear that Tanev would not be re-signing with the Stars.

Treliving lauded Tanev's defensive capabilities and leadership qualities, as well as his connection to Toronto. He also expressed enthusiasm about the potential of signing Tanev to a long-term, seven-year contract.

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