Christopher Tanev | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born | East York, Ontario, Canada | December 20, 1989||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
Weight | 193 lb (88 kg; 13 st 11 lb) | ||
Position | Defence | ||
Shoots | Right | ||
NHL team Former teams | Toronto Maple Leafs Vancouver Canucks Calgary Flames Dallas Stars | ||
National team | Canada | ||
NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
Playing career | 2010–present |
Christopher Tanev (born December 20, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Dallas Stars.
Unselected in the NHL Entry Draft, he was signed by the Canucks as a free agent after his freshman year with the Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers. In his only college season, he was named Atlantic Hockey's Rookie of the Year, in addition to receiving All-Tournament and Third All-Star Team honours, while helping the Tigers to a conference championship. Prior to college, he played three seasons in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League.
Tanev was born in East York, Ontario, to Sophie Meredith and Mike "Misho" Tanev. He has two brothers, Brandon (who plays left wing for the Seattle Kraken) and Kyle, and is of Macedonian descent. [1] Playing minor hockey within the Greater Toronto Hockey League, he competed with the Toronto Red Wings. [2] After being cut from seven midget-level teams at age 16 due to a lack of size (he was barely five feet and roughly 120 pounds at the time), [2] Tanev resorted to playing for his high school's team and took up roller hockey in the summer. [3] After graduating from high school at the East York Collegiate Institute, he enrolled in the Rochester Institute of Technology as a finance major while playing college hockey. [4]
Tanev played in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League (OPJHL) for three seasons. Starting off with the Durham Fury in 2006–07, he recorded no goals and nine assists over 40 games. He split the following season between Durham, the Stouffville Spirit and the Markham Waxers renamed Markham Royals, combining for 17 points (2 goals and 15 assists) over 49 games between the three teams. Playing the 2008–09 campaign with Markham, he led all team defencemen in scoring with 41 points in 50 games, while serving as an alternate captain; he was named the team's top defenceman at the end of the season. [4]
In 2009–10, he joined the NCAA Division I ranks with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Tigers of the Atlantic Hockey Conference. Placed on the team's top defensive pairing with team captain Dan Ringwald, [3] he recorded 10 goals and 28 points over 41 games, while leading his team with a +33 plus-minus rating. After being named Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Week on three occasions during the season, he received Rookie of the Year honours and was named to the conference's All-Rookie and Third All-Star Teams. [5] In the 2010 playoffs, Tanev helped the Tigers to a conference championship, defeating the Sacred Heart Pioneers in the final. He was named to the All-Tournament Team. Advancing to the NCAA tournament, RIT was eliminated in the national semifinal by the Wisconsin Badgers. Tigers head coach Wayne Wilson described him during his freshman year as a "late bloomer", having grown six inches in his final year of junior, while praising his offensive skills. [4]
During the NCAA tournament, Tanev was scouted by Vancouver Canucks director of player development Dave Gagner, who was previously acquainted with Tanev as his childhood roller hockey coach. The Canucks scouting staff collectively identified him as "the smartest player on the ice" in the East Regional segment of the tournament. [3] On May 31, 2010, Tanev signed as an undrafted free agent with the Canucks, foregoing his final three years of college hockey eligibility. [6] He had received interest from at least three other teams, including the San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets, but ultimately chose Vancouver. [2]
Beginning the 2010–11 season with the Canucks' minor league affiliate, the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL), he scored his first professional goal against the Rochester Americans on November 13, 2010. [5] He received his first call-up to Vancouver on January 16, 2011, [7] after injuries to Canucks defencemen Andrew Alberts and Aaron Rome. [8] Making his Canucks debut two days later against the Colorado Avalanche, [9] he became the first RIT alumnus to play in the NHL. [5] He later recorded his first NHL point on January 24, a second assist on a Dan Hamhuis powerplay goal, the final Canucks tally in a 7–1 win against the Dallas Stars. [10] He remained with the NHL team for an extended period as Canucks defencemen continued to suffer injuries.
On March 31, 2011, Tanev had to be helped off the ice during a game against the Los Angeles Kings after opposing forward Kyle Clifford pushed him head-first into the end-boards. [11] While recovering from the upper-body injury, he was returned to the Moose on April 7, as several regular defencemen returned to the Canucks line-up from injury at that time. [12] Averaging 13 minutes of ice time per game over 29 NHL contests with one assist, Tanev was commended by Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault for being "very dependable...making the high-percentage plays." Vigneault also added that he had a good chance of playing with the Canucks "on a regular basis down the road." [13] Completing the 2010–11 regular season with the Moose, he finished with 1 goal and 8 assists over 39 AHL games. Tanev added a goal and 2 assists in 14 playoff games as the Moose were defeated in the second round. Following Manitoba's elimination, he was called up to the Canucks for their playoff run as a reserve. [14] In the Canucks' Game 3 contest against the San Jose Sharks in the third round, defencemen Christian Ehrhoff and Aaron Rome were both injured. Tanev was inserted into the line-up for the following game and made his NHL playoff debut on May 22, 2011. [15] As the Canucks moved on to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins, Ehrhoff and Rome returned to action, temporarily sending Tanev back to the sidelines. Following injuries to Dan Hamhuis and Rome's suspension, Tanev played in the final three contests of the series, which the Canucks lost in seven games. [16]
Following his professional rookie season, Tanev trained in the off-season particularly to increase his strength. Entering the Canucks' training camp with an added 10 pounds, [17] he made the Canucks' opening line-up for the 2011–12 season. After dressing for three of the team's first five games, he was reassigned to the Chicago Wolves, Vancouver's new AHL affiliate (the Moose were relocated to St. John's, Newfoundland, after the Winnipeg Jets returned to the NHL). Vigneault explained that the organization wanted Tanev receiving more ice time than he could receive in Vancouver while competing for the "No. 5 to No. 8 spots on [the] team." [18] In his first game with the Wolves, he injured an oblique muscle after receiving a hit and was sidelined for a month. After returning, he formed a top defensive pairing on the team with Kevin Connauton. [19] In late-January 2012, he was called up by the Canucks for one game, then again in mid-February until the end of the season. [20] In 25 NHL games, he recorded two assists, while also recording 14 assists over 34 AHL games in 2011–12. Tanev also competed in all five of the Canucks' playoff games in 2012 without registering a point.
His first NHL goal was scored on February 4, 2013, in an overtime win against Devan Dubnyk of the Edmonton Oilers. [21] On March 24, 2015 Tanev signed a 5-year contract extension with the Canucks. [22]
Tanev scored 11 seconds into overtime on August 7, 2020 as the Canucks advanced to the Western Conference First Round, beating the Minnesota Wild 5–4 for a 3–1 Qualifying Round series victory. It is tied for the second-fastest goal to start overtime in Stanley Cup playoff history, tying J. P. Parisé (1975) and former Canucks teammate Alex Burrows (2011), with only Brian Skrudland's 9 seconds in 1986 being faster.
On October 9, 2020, Tanev left the Canucks as a free agent after 10 seasons and signed a four-year, $18 million contract with fellow Western Canadian club, the Calgary Flames. [23]
On February 28, 2024, Tanev was traded by the Flames to the Dallas Stars, in a three-team deal where the New Jersey Devils retained some salary. Dallas also received Devils goaltending prospect Cole Brady, New Jersey received Dallas' 2026 fourth-round pick, and Calgary received Dallas' 2024 second-round pick, defence prospect Artem Grushnikov, and a conditional third-round pick. [24]
On July 1, 2024, Tanev signed a six-year, $27 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs after being traded by the Stars in exchange for Max Ellis and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL entry draft. [25]
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Men's ice hockey | ||
Representing Canada | ||
World Championships | ||
2016 Russia |
Tanev played a major role on the 2016 IIHF World Championships team which captured gold against Finland. He was praised for his composure and defensive play by Team Canada head coach Bill Peters, and was named the best player of the game in Canada's 7–1 victory over Hungary. [26] In the tournament semifinal versus the United States, Tanev prevented a scoring chance by the Americans late in the third period, which would have resulted in a game-tying goal. After accidentally breaking his stick in the American zone, he raced back to the Canadian end, intercepting a pass and blocking a shot without the use of his stick. [27]
Tanev's biggest moment came in the tournament final against Finland, recording 21:38 of ice time, including a team-high 8:37 in the third period as Canada defended their one-goal lead. [28] Team Canada held on to win the gold medal for a second consecutive year.
According to many observers, including Ray Ferraro and teammates Brendan Gallagher and Connor McDavid, Tanev was perhaps the best defenceman in the tournament in terms of his defensive play - he and his defence partner, Morgan Rielly, were not on the ice for a single goal against at even-strength. Tanev also played a major role on Canada's tournament-best penalty kill that allowed just two goals against in 29 opportunities. He registered one assist during the tournament. [28] [29]
Tanev is a defenceman lauded for his "hockey sense" and puck-moving ability. [30] Upon being scouted out of college by Canucks personnel, his style of play was compared to offensive defenceman Christian Ehrhoff. [2] Not aggressive, Tanev relies primarily on his positioning to check players. Following his performance in Game 5 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, teammate Kevin Bieksa also highlighted his calm on-ice demeanour, quipping that "he could have played with a cigarette in his mouth." [31]
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2006–07 | Durham Fury | OPJHL | 40 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||
2007–08 | Durham Fury | OPJHL | 19 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2007–08 | Stouffville Spirit | OPJHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2007–08 | Markham Waxers | OPJHL | 26 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
2008–09 | Markham Waxers | OPJHL | 50 | 4 | 37 | 41 | 33 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 8 | ||
2009–10 | RIT Tigers | AHC | 41 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2010–11 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 39 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 16 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
2010–11 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 29 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2011–12 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 25 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2011–12 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 34 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 29 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2012–13 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 38 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2013–14 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 64 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2014–15 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 70 | 2 | 18 | 20 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||
2015–16 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 69 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2016–17 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 53 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2017–18 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 42 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2018–19 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 55 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2019–20 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 69 | 2 | 18 | 20 | 41 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | ||
2020–21 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 56 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2021–22 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 82 | 6 | 22 | 28 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
2022–23 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 65 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2023–24 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 56 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2023–24 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 19 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
NHL totals | 792 | 33 | 157 | 190 | 194 | 60 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 12 |
Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Canada | WC | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
Totals | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Edward Jovanovski is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was born in Windsor, Ontario, and is of Macedonian descent.
Kenneth Mattias Öhlund is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning. Öhlund played two seasons in the Swedish Allsvenskan, the second highest tier of hockey in Sweden, with Piteå HC before being selected by the Canucks 13th overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He then joined Luleå HF of the Elitserien, the highest league in Sweden, winning the Le Mat Trophy as league champions in 1996. He began his NHL career with Vancouver in 1997–98, the start of an 11-year tenure with the club in which he became the Canucks' all-time leader in points for a defenceman. Öhlund would play the final two seasons of his professional career with the Tampa Bay Lightning before retiring in 2011. A serious eye injury before his third NHL season was the first of many injuries Öhlund has sustained over his career, and he only played a full season twice in his 13-year NHL career.
Daniel Hamhuis is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in 2001 by the Nashville Predators.
Sami Sakari Salo is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman of the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his professional career with TPS of the SM-liiga before being selected by the Ottawa Senators with their last pick in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
Christian Ehrhoff is a German professional ice hockey defenceman for Krefeld Pinguine of the German DEL2. In 2018, he won silver at the Winter Olympics. He played more than 800 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) and more than 300 in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in Germany. He is known primarily as an offensive defenceman with strong skating and shooting abilities.
Kevin Francesco Bieksa is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Bieksa started and played most of his career with the Vancouver Canucks and later played for the Anaheim Ducks. After a three-year career in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) with the Burlington Cougars, Bieksa was awarded a scholarship to Bowling Green State University. He was a one-time All-CCHA honourable mention during his four-year tenure with the Falcons of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). He graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree (B.A.) in finance, and was a two-time CCHA All-Academic honourable mention in 2003 and 2004. Bieksa now co-hosts Hockey Night in Canada.
Jannik Hansen is a Danish former professional ice hockey right winger. Hansen began playing professionally at the age of 16 with both the Rødovre Mighty Bulls of the Danish league and the Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish J20 SuperElit and HockeyAllsvenskan leagues. He played three seasons with Rødovre, during which time he was selected 287th overall by the Canucks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. A year after his selection, he moved to North America to play major junior hockey with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for one season. In 2006–07, Hansen began playing with the Canucks' minor league affiliate, the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL). That season, he was called up by the Vancouver Canucks and became the first Danish citizen to play and register a point in an NHL playoff game. After another campaign spent primarily with Manitoba, Hansen earned a full-time roster spot with the Canucks.
Ulf Niklas Alexander Edler is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles Kings. He was drafted out of Sweden's third-tier ice hockey league by the Canucks in the third round, 91st overall, in the 2004 NHL entry draft, and played junior ice hockey with Modo Hockey of the J20 SuperElit and the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Mason Evan Raymond is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames and the Anaheim Ducks. He represented Canada in South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Aaron Rome is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently serving as a skills coach with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Rome was selected in the fourth round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings.
William Joseph Sweatt is an American former professional ice hockey left winger. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks before playing in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
Cody Douglas Hodgson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centreman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Walter Lee Sweatt is an American former professional ice hockey player. Sweatt played four years of professional hockey in Europe and North America. Sweatt played three games in the National Hockey League (NHL) in 2011, before retiring to work in the financial industry. His younger brother, Bill, was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Mário Bližňák is a Slovak former professional ice hockey center. He previously played for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). After playing in the Slovak Extraliga, Bližňák was selected by the Canucks in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and moved to North America, joining the Vancouver Giants of the major junior Western Hockey League (WHL) in 2005. Bližňák played three seasons with the Giants, helping them win the Memorial Cup, the national championship for major junior hockey in Canada, in 2007, before joining the Moose in 2008. He is best known as a defensive forward.
Evan Oberg is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 7 games in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning between 2010 and 2012. The rest of his career, which lasted from 2009 to 2019, was mainly spent in the minor American Hockey League, though he also spent one season in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. His last season was for the Lacombe Generals of the Allan Cup Hockey West (ACHW), a semi-professional league in Alberta, Canada.
Kevin Connauton is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Utah Hockey Club of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 83rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Connauton has also played for the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Yann Michel Sauvé is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for Brûleurs de Loups of the Ligue Magnus. He was drafted by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Vancouver Canucks in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, selected in the second round, 41st overall. He played major junior hockey with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for four seasons before he joined the Canucks' minor league affiliates in 2010. He split the 2010–11 season between the Canucks and their two minor league teams, the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL and the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Canucks changed AHL affiliates twice, and Sauve joined the Chicago Wolves and Utica Comets as a result. Sauvé was born in Montreal, Quebec, but grew up in Rigaud, Quebec.
Ben Hutton is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hutton was drafted 147th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Filip Hronek is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hronek previously played in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings. He was drafted 53rd overall by the Red Wings in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
Olli Juolevi is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently on a one-month contract with Timrå IK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He was selected fifth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Born and raised in Finland, Juolevi developed in the Jokerit program before he moved to North America to play major junior hockey with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s London Knights in 2015. After one season with London, he was drafted by the Canucks.