Tanev and the Maple Leafs agree on a 6-year, $27 million contract.
With the Stars and Flames last season, the defenseman scored 19 points; Toronto also signed Ekman-Larsson, Woll, and Domi.
On Monday, Chris Tanev agreed to a $27 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The yearly average value is $4.5 million.
On June 29, the Dallas Stars sold the 34-year-old defenseman to the Maple Leafs in exchange for winger Max Ellis and a seventh-round choice in the 2026 NHL Draft.
In 75 regular-season games for the Stars and Calgary Flames last season, Tanev recorded 19 points (two goals, 17 assists), including 5 points (one goal, four assists) in 19 games following the Stars’ acquisition of him in a trade with the Flames on February 28.
In his 19 Stanley Cup Playoff games, Tanev recorded two assists.
“What he’s going to bring to our group and our room, just a consummate pro,” stated Brad Treliving, general manager of Toronto. “His ability to play hard minutes against top players, penalty killing ability and then you go from there.”
Tanev was signed by the Vancouver Canucks on May 31, 2010, as an undrafted free agent. He has played with the Stars, Flames, and Canucks in 792 regular-season games, scoring 33 goals and 157 assists, and contributing 13 points (one goal and 12 assists) in 60 postseason games.
In addition, the Maple Leafs signed goalie Joseph Woll to a three-year, $10.98 million ($3.66 million AAV) contract that will start in the 2025–2026 season and defenseman Oliver Ekman–Larsson to a four-year, $14 million contract ($3.5 million AAV).
Ekman-Larsson, 32, helped the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup with 32 points (nine goals, 23 assists) in 80 regular-season games and 6 points (two goals, four assists) in 24 playoff games.
Ekman-Larsson stated on July 4 that “four years on the contract meant a lot.” Knowing that I had a successful year and that Toronto was interested made for a nice year-end experience for me. I want to keep playing hockey until I am very old and they help me off the rink. It therefore has great meaning. I always approach it with the intention of pushing myself. I don’t really pay attention to age. To be honest with you, in terms of my physical state, I feel a lot better than I did at 25. With the exception of the last two years (before to moving to Florida), I believe I’ve made progress toward improving. I thought I was a decent player and that I had sort of rediscovered my calling.”
Ekman-Larsson, who was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes at pick No. 6 in the first round of the 2009 NHL Draft, has 471 points (144 goals, 327 assists) in 471 regular-season games for the Panthers, Vancouver Canucks, and Coyotes. In 49 postseason games, he has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists).
“The defense has a good blend as of right now,” Treliving stated. “You have some size, some puck mover, and some penalty killer. Oliver’s arrival provides you with an additional power play option. Both lefties and righties are here. Since defensemen are so difficult to come by, this gives us more alternatives as the summer progresses.”
Woll, 25, finished the previous season with the Maple Leafs 12-11-1 with a 2.94 goals-against average and.907 save percentage in 25 games (23 starts), and 2-2 with a 0.86 GAA and.964 save percentage in three postseason contests. In 36 NHL games, all with the Maple Leafs, he is 21-13-1 with a 2.76 GAA,.912 save percentage, and one shutout. In seven postseason games, he is 3-2 with a 1.78 GAA and.933 save percentage. Toronto selected him in the third round (No. 62) of the 2016 NHL Draft.
“Getting Joe done and extending him, we looked at the comps and getting a year out of it, we have a lot of faith in Joe,” stated Treliving. “We believe Joe will have a great career ahead of him as well as a fantastic, crucial season. Joe was eager to participate, and that was a top concern for us to try to get ahead of.”
The transactions took place the day after Toronto signed defenseman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year, $6 million contract ($3 million AAV) and forward Max Domi to a four-year, $15 million contract ($3.75 million AAV).
Domi had 47 points (nine goals, 38 assists) in 80 regular-season games for Toronto this season and 4 points (one goal, three assists) in seven postseason games. On Monday, Domi could have become an unrestricted free agent.
“Regaining Max’s trust was crucial… Treliving stated, “Max is a dynamic player, and we’re excited to get him done. “I believe that the player wanted to be in Toronto from the beginning; it was just a matter of working out a mutually beneficial agreement. He is just an eager learner. He shows off how much he values himself. He is able to move about in the lineup.
The 29-year-old, who was chosen by the Phoenix Coyotes at pick No. 12 in the first round of the 2013 NHL Draft, has 417 points (130 goals, 287 assists) in 661 games during the regular season for the Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens, and Coyotes. In 50 playoff games, he has 26 points (seven goals, 19 assists).
Domi stated on Monday, “I signed here for that reason.” “I wanted to come here since this is my hometown. I have dreamed of winning a Stanley Cup since I was two years old, the first year I ever played hockey. That fantasy persisted long before I learned anything about cashing a paycheck. In my dream, I was usually wearing a jersey from the Leafs. It seems appropriate that I have the opportunity to perform here for the ensuing few years, and that I came here because I want to be here and I think highly of this group. It’s very exciting for a player to have someone like Chief (Craig Berube) and the personnel he’s hired on board. This bunch is ravenous.”
On Monday, Liljegren, who signed a two-year, $2.8 million ($1.4 million AAV) contract with Toronto on June 27, 2022, could have been a restricted free agent. Liljegren was in the last season of the deal. In 55 regular-season games last season, the 25-year-old tied his NHL career high with 23 points and recorded an NHL career-high 20 assists. In the six postseason games, he also had one assist.
Liljegren was chosen by Toronto with pick number 17 in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft. In 196 regular-season games, he has 65 points (14 goals, 51 assists), and in 13 playoff games, he has one assist.
“We continue to believe that Timothy has a lot of potential,” Treliving stated. “Over the past few weeks, we have been working with Timothy to complete an extension. He had the right to arbitration as a player. We both thought we knew quite well how the case would play out. Although the qualifying number and the arbitration number are two distinct things, I am aware that everyone looks at them, so Peter Wallin, his attorneys, and Brandon Pridham put a lot of effort into that one.”
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