The novelty of joining the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn’t fully set in for Chris Tanev, but he’s keenly aware of the unique challenges that come with playing for the most scrutinized team in the NHL. Tanev did a round of interviews Tuesday afternoon, speaking about the pressures and challenges of playing in Toronto, his first impressions of new teammates, and how he envisions his role with the Maple Leafs among other topics.

The 34-year-old signed a six-year extension with the Maple Leafs on July 1, worth an average annual value of $4.5 million. Tanev provided a window into why he was compelled to sign a long-term pact with his hometown club.

“The guys here, there’s some extreme, extreme high-end talent as you’ve said,” Tanev told FAN 590’s Justin Cuthbert and Ailish Forfar. “There’s not many teams in the league that have the types of players that are on this team. And then being able to try to win in Toronto, for a fan base that is extremely passionate and cares about the Toronto Maple Leafs. Obviously, it comes with high expectations. There’s going to be times that goes well and times where maybe they’re not happy with you. That comes with playing in Toronto, I think. I’ve played in Canada for basically my whole career. Definitely not the same level as Toronto, but I’m sort of used to a little bit of that as well.”

Tanev spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Vancouver Canucks, joining the organization as an undrafted free agent in large part due to Dave Gagner’s recommendation to the club. He made an immediate impact during the Canucks’ run to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final as a defensive stalwart and has never looked back, in stops with the Canucks, Calgary Flames and a brief stint with the Dallas Stars, where he played the best hockey of his career during the 2023-24 playoffs.

In many respects, Tanev is uniquely qualified to single out what makes Toronto different from the other cities during his professional career.

“I’ve played in Canada for basically 14 years now,” Tanev said during an appearance on TSN’s OverDrive. “I enjoy it a lot, my family enjoys it, I’m definitely proud to be Canadian. It’s going to be awesome to play for Toronto, it comes with high expectations. The market is a lot bigger than Calgary and Vancouver is probably in the middle between the two. It’s the expectations that you want.”

Craig Berube was formally introduced as Toronto’s next head coach on May 21 and has been actively involved in the team’s offseason to date. Tanev reflected on his initial meeting with his new head coach and said it’s ultimately up to Berube whether he begins the season partnered alongside Morgan Rielly.

“Obviously, Coach is a winner, he’s won a Cup, he’s played a long time in the league, he knows the game,” Tanev said of Berube. “Right when Toronto traded for me, he was the first call that I got and he wanted to express how he felt about me and where I could play in the lineup and how I could help the team. I ended up after signing, I met him last Wednesday and sat down for a bit and got to know each other a little bit. That’s a big part of being successful, just to talk and communicate and he was awesome from the short time I’ve known him.”

Tanev is the standout from the Maple Leafs’ offseason and he’ll be expected to function as the team’s long-coveted shutdown defenceman, as the team desperately needs to make major strides in the postseason, or will be subject to further, nonstop referendum from the fan base and media market alike. For Tanev, it’s just another aspect of the NHL journey.