Anyone who has been tracking the NHL's trade market this year will know that the Toronto Maple Leafs' top trade target is and has been Chris Tanev. The link between Tanev and ex-Flames GM Brad Treliving is obvious and the veteran defenseman checks just about every box that the Leafs need checked on their backend, so such a deal just makes sense.
The Leafs are certainly not the only team in on the 34-year-old blueliner, as we know for certain that Vancouver also likes Tanev. In fact, there were reports out there suggesting that the Canucks nearly traded for Tanev in the Elias Lindholm deal as well. However, as Elliotte Friedman has suggested throughout the year, "as long as Tanev is available, he's their guy".
TSN's Pierre LeBrun touched on Tanev last night on Sportscentre, reporting on what the cost to acquire Tanev will look like. Unfortunately for the Leafs, they don't have the piece that Calgary is looking for, so if they do want Tanev, they'll have to overpay.
I'm sure that many fans aren't loving the idea of moving a 1st round pick for a 34-year-old rental, but if the Leafs can find a way to extend Tanev, maybe the move carries a little less risk. Then again, if you're extending a 34-year-old, there are also risks of a significant drop off in play due to age, so even if they could extend Tanev, it still may not be the right decision for the long-term success of the club.
