How much can the Calgary Flames get for Chris Tanev at the NHL Trade Deadline?

Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

With less than two months remaining until the NHL’s trade deadline on March 8, we’ve got you covered at Daily Faceoff with at least one trade-focused story every day until Deadline Day.

Today we continue our player profile series with Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev, who ranks No. 3 on our Trade Targets board.

2024 Trade Deadline Countdown: 40 Days

CHRIS TANEV
Right Defense, Calgary Flames
Shoots: Right
Age: 34
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 197 lbs
Cap Hit: $4.5 million
Term: Pending UFA
2023-24 Stats: 46 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 Pts, 19:40 TOI
Career Stats: 14th season (Vancouver, Calgary), 763 GP, 32 G, 148 A, 180 Pts
Best Year: 2021-22, 82 GP, 6 G, 22 A, 28 Pts, plus-35
Playoffs: 5 appearances, 1 round won, 41 GP, 1 G, 10 A, 11 Pts

Archetype and Ideal Role

Shutdown Defender, 2nd / 3rd Pair

After 763 games and nearly as many bruises, Tanev is universally respected as a hard-nosed gamer who is willing to pay the price to help his team win. He is an ace shot blocker and penalty killing minute-muncher. At this stage in his career, Tanev is best suited to float between the second and third pair on a contending team as a disciplined shutdown defender.

Scouting Report

News flash: There isn’t much sexy about Tanev’s game. His skillset isn’t exceptional outside of blocking shots – and most of that comes from an intensity that borders on the insane. Two months ago, Tanev dove to block a puck with his face and when he was asked about it after the game, he shrugged and said rather nonchalantly that he was trying to prevent the other team from scoring. That is Tanev in a nutshell.

However, Tanev is really efficient with his skating, passing and defensive reads. There isn’t any extra nonsense. In fact, he under-handles pucks, a trait that is much appreciated by coaches – and forwards – who want their defensemen to move the puck quickly and calmly. He is particularly effective playing with forwards who can find open ice early, as he won’t mess around and will move it to them. At even-strength, Tanev is 34th among defensemen in successfully completed passes in the defensive zone, and 18th in the neutral zone.

He also doesn’t turn the puck over much. He turns the puck of the least of all defensemen in the neutral zone and the 17th least in the defensive zone.

Tanev defends the rush with poise and awareness. He doesn’t rush to make the big hit, stressing his efficiency of movement. He also shifts his weight well laterally. Tanev takes solid angles and anticipates dump-ins for recoveries, where he ranks 20th among defensemen in successful recoveries. Part of his reason for success is that he mostly successfully eliminates the path for the attacking forward, taking out the big hit. He may seem passive because he gives up a large gap, but he adjusts well.

On the penalty kill, where Tanev leads the Flames in minutes, he doesn’t get tied up and flexes out to get into passing and shooting lanes. And yes, he eats pucks. Tanev is fifth in the NHL in blocked shots this season with 124.

Buyer Beware

Many will point to Tanev’s health, as it seems like he is always banged up. That is a testament to his game. He is a warrior. It feels like it is rare to watch a Flames game where he doesn’t go down the tunnel to the locker room at some point. And yes, that is mostly a farce. Tanev has appeared in 93 percent of Calgary’s games over this four-year contract (249 of 269). Of course, all of those blocked shots can lead to an injury at a pivotal time during a series. Flames fans are still holding their breath that a bigger injury doesn’t occur before the deadline.

Despite being a warrior, Tanev is not actually that physical. He has only registered 16 total hits this season, which is in the 10th percentile among defensemen. You’re also not going to get much offense out of him. He has one goal this season and is on track for his fewest shots on net in a full season since 2014-15.

For all of his poise in defending the rush, it is fair to wonder how Tanev will fare against a team that plays with high pressure and more physical encounters. He has a very calculated style. And since he manages the rush with a big gap, if he is facing a high-speed transition in a seven-game series, will he be overmatched as a guy who prefers to block shots rather than break up plays?

Potential Suitors

Dallas Stars: Jani Hakanpaa does a lot of what Tanev does, but it would depend how much Dallas thinks Tanev is an upgrade over Nils Lundkvist, whom they already gave up a first-round pick to land.
Florida Panthers: The Cats could use one more right-shooting defenseman to spell Dmitry Kulikov.
New York Islanders: They’ve been in the market for defense, but unless someone wants to move to the left side, they’ll be pretty well situated whenever Ryan Pulock is ready to return.
Pittsburgh Penguins: We’re not convinced the Pens are going to add, but if they do, a shutdown guy like Tanev would make sense.
Tampa Bay Lightning: The Bolts are in the market for another defenseman.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Brad Treliving already tried to make a play for Tanev and Nikita Zadorov in a package, but that didn’t work out. The Leafs don’t have a second-round pick until 2027 though.
Vancouver Canucks: It’s easy to envision a reunion in Vancouver for a team that could use one more defender.

Comparable Trade Returns

March 20, 2022
To Toronto: Mark Giordano (50% retained), Colin Blackwell
To Seattle: 2022 2nd Rd Pick, 2023 2nd Rd Pick, 2024 3rd Rd Pick

March 21, 2022
To Edmonton: Brett Kulak (50% retained)
To Montréal: 2022 2nd Rd Pick (Lane Hutson), 2024 7th Rd Pick, William Lagesson

Feb. 29, 2016
To Dallas: Kris Russell
To Calgary: Conditional 2016 2nd Rd Pick (could become 1st), Jyrki Jokipakka, Brett Pollock

All three of the players listed here are of relatively similar style and impact as defensemen. Perhaps the biggest thing to keep in mind here is age. At 34, Tanev is expected to be one of the oldest players moved at this deadline. Giordano was 38 at the time of his trade to Toronto. The Kraken did well to land two second-round picks, but part of that equation is Blackwell, as well as the price to retain half of Giordano’s contract. Plus, Giordano had some pedigree as he was three years removed from a Norris Trophy win.

Perhaps the best the Flames can hope for in this case is the Russell trade, which now-GM Craig Conroy would have had a hand in in 2016 as a member of Calgary’s front office. That was a conditional second-round pick that could become a first if Dallas made it to the conference final. (They did not.)

Because if the Flames are asking for a first-round pick, any team would just need to point out that Josh Manson went for one second-rounder in 2022, which isn’t a very good look for GM Pat Verbeek. He only went on to help Colorado win the Cup.

Summary

Tanev doesn’t monkey around – not when it comes to showing up to win, and he certainly doesn’t mess around with the puck. He is simple, efficient and poised, which are three really strong qualities to add to a team hoping to load up for a Stanley Cup run.

Daily Faceoff analyst Jon Goyens contributed to this report. Find him on Twitter: @gourmet_hockey

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