Chris Tanev is the Toronto Maple Leafs’ most important defenceman this season, and he’s played better than advertised, halfway through his first season with his hometown club. If you ask his former teammates and coaches, Tanev should be regarded among the NHL’s best defenders at this stage of his career.

Tanev and the Maple Leafs host the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. During last summer’s playoffs, Tanev took on some of the toughest assignments in the league, as the Stars were eventually ousted by the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Finals.

“He’s outstanding,” Stars forward Matt Duchene said of Tanev after Tuesday’s morning skate. “He’s a guy you don’t realize how good he is until you play with him. Obviously, doesn’t put up big numbers, but that’s unfortunately what a lot of people are evaluated on. His first pass out of the D-zone is as good as anybody’s. His shot-blocking, his positioning. The way he played against top guys in the playoffs last year was incredible to watch. He’s definitely a guy you don’t like going up against, for sure.”

“We would’ve loved to have him back, obviously. He and I were both going into free agency together, and I was all over him to come back. I  knew his heart was kind of going to be in Toronto through that kind of process. His family is here, so it makes sense. He’s the type of guy you wish the best, just not tonight.”

Tanev spoke about playing against the Stars and emphasized the importance of playing with pace against the Stars, while giving Thomas Harley and Esa Lindell shoutouts as an underrated, ‘incredible’ player.

“Play with a lot of pace, move pucks very quick. A lot of skilled guys that play, five guys connected, move pucks up the ice. Obviously, they want to play in our ends more than they do in ours,” Tanev said.

“You always want to beat the team you played for, for sure. I had a great time there, first-class organization. They’re great guys there, but you definitely want to beat them tonight.”

Stars head coach Pete DeBoer also spoke at length about Tanev’s impact.

“I loved the guy. What I like is, what you see is what you get, every night. Never wavers. Knows what his game is and brings it to the rink every night. Played through some really significant injuries with us in the playoffs. Really compromised and you’d never know it. There were some days he could barely get his skates on, and found a way to get out there and help us go on a deep playoff run. Just a warrior.”

Tanev ranks second with 122 blocked shots, trailing only Jacob Trouba prior to Tuesday’s games. He’s been an elite shutdown defender for the Maple Leafs and has been a key part of Craig Berube changing the identity of the club through the first half of the season. Tanev has recorded one goal and 13 points, with a team-best plus-14 rating and is a permanent fixture of the team’s core after signing a six-year deal worth $4.5 million annually in free agency. It’s clear that his peers rate him as one of the NHL’s premier defencemen, and despite his relatively modest offensive numbers, he’s recognized as an elite talent.