PuckSleuth
Chris Tanev8

Toronto Maple Leafs · Defense · Shoots R

Chris Tanev

Age 36 · 6'3" · 199 lb · Born in Toronto, CAN

Cap hit

$4.5M

4.3% of $104M cap

Term

4 yrs

Through 2029-30, then UFA

Clause

NMC

Surplus value

−$681K

vs. $3.819M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

GP

2

Goals

0

0.0% shooting

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

0

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

19:39

PP 0:00 · PK 3:27

xGF%

45.9

5v5, -7.1 vs. last yr

Game Score

+0.21

per game

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

0

Blocks 6 · Hits 0

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Sep 30
vs NYI · W 2-1
0000320:390:004:50—67110+0.14
Sep 29
vs MTL · L 3-2
0010318:390:002:03—50000+0.28
Dec 28
@ DET · OTL 3-2
0010420:100:001:09—0210+0.33
Dec 27
vs OTT · W 7-5
0000121:270:001:02—020+2+0.11
Dec 23
vs PIT · W 6-3
0010217:230:050:00—4010+1-0.00

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 165 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%53.0%

79th percentile

Relative xGF%+2.9

81st percentile

HDCF%63.2%

97th percentile

CF%47.0%

28th percentile

Relative CF%-0.2

54th percentile

FF%48.3%

39th percentile

GF%58.3%

86th percentile

CF/6048.1

8th percentile

CA/6054.3

75th percentile

ixG/600.05

0th percentile

Goals above expected-0.1

45th percentile

IPP28.6%

25th percentile

PDO101.7

77th percentile

OZS%31.7%

4th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleShutdown puck-mover

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Tanev is an elite defensive anchor who controls the game through clean puck exits and positioning rather than physicality or volume. He leads rushes out of the zone with ease and almost never creates offensive chances, fitting a low-event defensive role perfectly.

elite defensepuck-moving outletlow-volume shooter
Shooting volume
1
Playmaking
46
Zone entries(est.)
84
Forechecking
0
Physicality
22
Defensive impact
94
Puck management
97
Speed
10

Where he shoots from

Slot 0% · Mid-range 50% · Perimeter 50%(10 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Puck management at 97th percentile keeps possession clean and transitions play forward
  • Defensive impact at 94th percentile makes him one of the league's most impactful defenders
  • Rush chances at 84th percentile shows he quickly advances the puck out of the zone

Watch-outs

  • Shooting volume at 1st percentile, he's essentially a non-threat on offense
  • Speed at 10th percentile limits his ability to chase down or engage physically
  • Physicality at 22nd percentile means he relies on technique and positioning over contact

Similar style: Drew Fortescue, Jonas Brodin (MIN)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 11 GP

Season total +3.3, or +0.30 per game.

Scoring
+1.2
Shooting
+0.6
5-on-5 goals
+0.3
Defense
+0.3
Penalty kill
-0.1
Physical play
+0.8
Puck battles
-0.1
Penalties
+0.4

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-PIMPPGPPPSHGGWGSOGS%TOIFO%GS/GP
2010-11Vancouver Canucks29011000100150.013:47——
2011-12Vancouver Canucks25022+1020000150.016:43——
2012-13Vancouver Canucks38257+41000012010.017:17——
2013-14Vancouver Canucks6461117+1280012659.220:44——
2014-15Vancouver Canucks7021820+8120201533.821:05——
2015-16Vancouver Canucks6941418-882300429.521:45——
2016-17Vancouver Canucks532810+3140001395.120:21——
2017-18Vancouver Canucks422911+780000316.519:47——
2018-19Vancouver Canucks5521012+3180000513.920:10——
2019-20Vancouver Canucks6921820+4410101454.419:32——
2020-21Calgary Flames5621012+1560000663.021:44——
2021-22Calgary Flames8262228+35220003886.820:28——
2022-23Calgary Flames6511213+7210101751.320:07—+0.35
2023-24Calgary Flames5611314+16140000432.319:50—+0.37
2023-24Dallas Stars19145+6100000137.719:13—+0.37
2024-25Toronto Maple Leafs7531518+31240000437.019:45—+0.34
2025-26Toronto Maple Leafs11022+80000080.017:58—+0.30
2026-27Toronto Maple Leafs300000000010.018:55—+0.21
Career17 seasons88136174210+161218281107135.019:56—

Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.

Usage

Last game: vs NYI, Sep 30

Pair 2 with Jake McCabe (11:55 together at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift chart.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

Average +0.25 per game over these 10.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed
20.1 mph
68th pct
20+ mph bursts
1
Hardest shot
68.7 mph
16th pct
Distance
5.3 mi
OZ time
36.8%
12th pct
DZ time
46.8%

Age curve

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 36, defensemen typically produce 62% of their peak (age 24).

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

4 seasons left

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27TOR$4.5M4.3%
2027-28TOR$4.5M4.0%
2028-29TOR$4.5M—
2029-30TOR$4.5M—

UFA after 2029-30. NMC. $18M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).