It’s been well documented that Brad Treliving and the Toronto Maple Leafs are on the hunt for a two-way centre, and while Brandon Tanev doesn’t meet the ‘centreman’ criteria, he sure does check a lot of other boxes.

Just over halfway into the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2024-2025 campaign, Treliving’s off-season acquisitions have solved a lot of the issues the team has looked to amend at deadlines past. Top-four defencemen are no longer at the top of the priority list with the additions of Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and the re-signing of Jake McCabe to surround Morgan Rielly. Goaltending has been very reliable when healthy with the combination of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, and Craig Berube behind the bench adds experience and Stanley Cup pedigree. One area of concern that still remains for this team is the bottom-six.

Calle Jarnkrok has yet to play a game this season while recovering from an injury, Nick Robertson has often failed to find consistency, Pontus Holmberg seems to have regressed from last season. Bobby McMann’s recent play has elevated himself in Berube’s power rankings which has forced Max Pacioretty to be in and out of the lineup recently. With a lack of identity and consistency, finding multiple pieces for the bottom-six may be for the best and that guy might just be Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev.

Here’s the pitch: Tanev is a 33-year-old winger who can play the right and left side, makes a very reasonable $3.5M per year and is a UFA at the end of the season. While it’s been discussed that the Leafs are looking for a forward with term and Tanev doesn’t have that, Toronto may have the best sales pitch possible to try to retain him, through family. It’s not the typical hometown signing type of stuff, but his older brother Chris signed a six-year contract with the club in the summer, which may ease the concern of another deadline rental walking at the end of the season.

As for what he brings to the ice, Brandon Tanev has 15 points this season which would have him tied for 8th in scoring on the Maple Leafs, and his eight goals would rank 7th. Tanev is an energetic depth player who carries an identity and would fit the culture that Treliving and Berube have been working to install. A two-way winger with some offensive ability, physicality, some jam, and a palatable contract make him an attractive player to pursue ahead of the deadline.

Oh and if you’re wondering where you may have heard this name be suggested before: it was likely on TLN After Dark on The Leafs Nation Youtube Channel, live following EVERY Maple Leafs game.

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