Though he was able to suit up Monday night versus the New York Rangers, Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev is still far from 100 percent. Much is the case throughout plenty of games during his NHL career, as the 33-year-old plays a rough, physical game that often leaves him banged up. The good news for the Flames is that there are few tougher in the league, which allows him to play through many of these ailments. That said, no one is invincible, and we saw that during last year’s playoffs when he was forced to miss a good chunk of his team’s series versus the Edmonton Oilers due to a shoulder injury.
Tanev has missed some time lately with an upper-body injury, and despite his return on Monday is said to still be banged up. Whether that be the same upper-body ailment or perhaps a combination of things remains unknown, but it is clear he is not at full health. As a result, there has been a new defenseman linked to the Flames as a potential trade target; that being Luke Schenn of the Vancouver Canucks. This potential pickup was discussed by Elliotte Friedman in his latest 32 Thoughts column, where he detailed exactly why Brad Treliving is showing such interest.
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“The Flames are believed to be in on Schenn, too, although they might wait to see if it makes sense for them based on the standings,” Friedman wrote. “You can see the possibility, because of Chris Tanev’s injuries. Tanev is as big a gamer as they come, but even he can’t overcome everything. There’s been a push from some in the Canucks organization to keep Schenn. I think it depends on what’s offered. If Vancouver deems it too low, they won’t move. But there’s plenty of interest, which generally pushes up the price.”
Schenn a Solid Insurance Piece
As my colleague Rob Couch discussed days ago, Schenn would be a solid fit with the Flames for a number of reasons. He is on an expiring deal with a very team-friendly $850,000. On top of that, he is reportedly beloved by teammates in the locker room, is a guy who can come in and out of the lineup whenever asked, and brings a winning pedigree given his back-to-back Stanley Cup victories with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
This season with the Canucks, Schenn is averaging over 17 minutes per game, similar to what he did a season prior in what was his first year with the organization. Those are solid minutes for a player with his cap hit, and the fact that he is right-handed makes him even more valuable, particularly for the Flames.
As mentioned, Tanev is already banged up, and even if he does continue to suit up moving forward, this is a player who you always have to worry about when it comes to sustaining something even more severe. One of the main concerns when the Flames chose to give him a four-year deal was his durability, as he had played north of 70 games just once through his full seven seasons in the NHL.
Though the injuries haven’t occurred as often with the Flames, the fearless approach he brings to the game could change that at any point. If that were to happen, having a guy like Schenn on your roster would make the situation much easier, as he is a somewhat similar player to Tanev, one who can shut opponents down at even strength while making positive contributions to the penalty kill.
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What also makes Schenn an intriguing addition is that he wouldn’t cost nearly as much as some of the other defensemen who are popping up in the rumor mill ahead of the deadline. It isn’t a guarantee he gets moved, as like Friedman mentioned, the Canucks are considering keeping him around. If he does get sent out, however, most believe the return would be something similar to a third-round pick, perhaps a second at most.
Tanev a Vital Piece for the Flames
Given the uncertainty regarding Tanev’s health, as well as sometimes the Flames’ blue line corps as a whole, having Schenn as an option to insert into the lineup whenever needed would be a great asset for Darryl Sutter. The veteran rearguard proved how valuable he could be in that role for the Lightning, and there is no reason to think he couldn’t do the same for the Flames. With that said, it can’t be understated just how important a healthy Tanev is for this team if they hope to get into the postseason.
Since joining the Flames for the 2020-21 season, Tanev has easily been their most consistent defenseman. In fact, the argument can be made that he is one of, if not the best shutdown defenseman in the entire NHL. If this team is to qualify for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, they will need him to be in the lineup on a regular basis. That said, if he does ever need a short period of time off to help him deal with his injuries, Schenn is arguably the best defenseman on the market to do so.
