Former NHL player and current TV personality Nick Kypreos recently reported in this article for the Toronto Star that the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in both Brandon Montour and Chris Tanev. Montour has spent the last four years with the Florida Panthers and has been to the Stanley Cup Final two years in a row.
Tanev was traded to the Dallas Stars at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Before that, he was part of the Calgary Flames blue line under the management of Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving. Both are expected to hit the open market and with July 1 just around the corner, NHL pro scouts will be busy trying to find the next best free-agent targets for the respective teams.
Kypreos had this to say in his latest piece: “It’s no secret the Leafs will be targeting Florida’s Montour if the pending free agent remains unsigned after this Cup final,” Kypreos reported. “Chris Tanev is another name that never left Treliving’s radar.”
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If this turns out to be true, it appears that history will repeat itself for Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving. He has always believed in building his teams from the blue line out, and that could happen again with his newest club. With the salary cap going up $4.5 million, Toronto now has $18.8 million in projected cap space ahead of the 2024 offseason.
Montour & Tanev’s Fit in Toronto
As Kypreos said, it is no secret that the Maple Leafs will be targeting both Montour and Tanev. The fit is nearly perfect for the Maple Leafs’ blue line. Montour has shown the NHL the last two seasons with the Panthers that he can be a reliable two-way defenceman who can truly turn it on when the playoffs start, something the Maple Leafs have lacked outside of Morgan Rielly in the last handful of seasons. He is also a right-handed shot that would fit very well in a pairing with Rielly, as he gives him what could be the best partner that he has had since his career began in 2012.
As for Tanev’s fit with the team is well known, especially by those in Leafs Nation. He does it all—hits, blocks shots, plays incredibly hard, and doesn’t give up. He is the perfect penalty killer and would ultimately pair well with Jake McCabe as the team’s shutdown pairing. Treliving was trying to add Tanev last season at the deadline, but unfortunately, the team didn’t have enough assets to give up. Now he has the chance to sign him for the second time in his career, bring him in, and help Toronto improve their blue line significantly.
Predicting Tanev & Montour’s Contracts
When it comes to predicting both Montour and Tanev’s contracts, it is a bit hard. Montour could be seeking upwards of $7 million per season and will likely get that. There is still a chance that he re-signs with the Panthers and doesn’t test the open market. However, if he does, at least a dozen teams will be seeking his services. The Maple Leafs need to do their best to land him. He can be the difference-maker that they need on the blue line. Toronto could offer the $7 million he is likely looking for over seven seasons.
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As for Tanev, he won’t demand as much money in free agency, which works in the Maple Leafs’ favour. Similar to Montour, the Stars can attempt to re-sign him, but if that doesn’t happen and he tests the open market, the Maple Leafs will likely have him on their priority list. Given Tanev’s age, at 34 years old, it would be safer for the Maple Leafs to offer him a four- to five-year deal. The average annual value (AAV) could be in the neighbourhood of $4.5–5.5 million per season.
The Maple Leafs need defensive help; that’s their biggest need. While they only have $18.8 million in projected salary this off-season, they need to put a good portion of that towards their blue line, or else they will be in the same situation as they are in now.
Signing both Montour and Tanev to the predicted contracts above would leave Toronto with around $6-7 million to fill out the rest of their roster, including finding a goalie to be part of a tandem with Joseph Woll.
