[Signing] Flames sign Chris Tanev (4 years, $4.5 million AAV)

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Lots of hindsight going on here. Who woulda known ahead of time how safe the bubble was going to be?

No one knew what the bubble was going to be like, but everyone knows that the non-bubble playing environment will be more risky in terms of contracting covid and it has a factor which should be disqualifying for Hamonic given his reasoning prior to opting out, his daughter will actually be in contact with him.

[btimbit]

Meh. If he wants to play now, I hope someone gives him an insanely high contract (as long as it's not us) good guy that deserves it

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Lots of hindsight going on here. Who woulda known ahead of time how safe the bubble was going to be?

Every other player in the NHL?

I certainly knew the players families weren't in danger

His choice to opt out and I am good but if he is willing to play now not in a bubble I can't imagine his reasoning

[Southern_Canuck]

Just wanted to say congrats to Flames fans getting Tanev - I think you will be happy with this UFA signing.

I've watched him for years, and he is an extremely reliable player. He may not be flashy, but he consistently makes good decisions with and without the puck, and frees his defensive partner to be more aggressive on offense.

He never shies away from retrieving the puck in the corner on dump-ins, and as a result he gets hit often - however it also means he gets there first and nullifies the opposing team. Also takes the hit to make a pass or just dump it out if there are no options.

Excellent defenseman, and excellent person. He's going to elevate whichever LD he plays with - spent a lot of this last season with Hughes.

S_C

[Classic_Sniper]

Absolutely hated the Tanev signing when I first heard about it. But after watching a couple games isolating his play, I think my opinion on him has flipped, although I do still think he’s a bit expensive and his injury prone nature makes Travis Hamonic look like the NHL’s ironman, but based on what I saw:

- His skating stride and mobility is surprisingly excellent
- Has decent poise with the puck, didn’t just force higher risk plays
- He closes in very quickly on puck carriers because of his excellent skating ability
- He neutralizes plays with a good stick
- He’s very assertive, leans on guys and is hard to play against
- Good hockey IQ and anticipation, sees things before they happen
- Seems like the opposition has a difficult time stringing plays together when he’s on the ice


Overall I’d say he instantly becomes one of our best defensive defensemen. I think he’ll definitely be better than Hamonic because he’s such a good skater and has a bit of a nasty streak. Loved Brodie because he could do everything well and had more dimensions to his game, but I think this team needs to be harder, harder on pucks, harder on forechecks, harder along the boards, harder to play against and etc etc. Tanev does that and I think his leadership ability can make up for the lack of offensive flair. Also, like the idea of taking away quality players from your divisional opponent and while adding to your team, it’s sort of a double whammy in it of itself.

[Strange Brew]

It just popped into my head today that in a years time, Flames are likely back to having too much salary on the bottom pairing. Because if Valimaki stays healthy, that’s likely where Tanev plays.

Or else, again assuming Valimaki is on track and Tanev’s game doesn’t fall off a cliff, maybe we do actually see a hockey trade where Hanifin is dealt for forward help.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

It just popped into my head today that in a years time, Flames are likely back to having too much salary on the bottom pairing. Because if Valimaki stays healthy, that’s likely where Tanev plays.

Or else, again assuming Valimaki is on track and Tanev’s game doesn’t fall off a cliff, maybe we do actually see a hockey trade where Hanifin is dealt for forward help.

Tanev is not going to be bottom pairing.

ETA: I missed the after one year part. So it’s possible,

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

It just popped into my head today that in a years time, Flames are likely back to having too much salary on the bottom pairing. Because if Valimaki stays healthy, that’s likely where Tanev plays.

Or else, again assuming Valimaki is on track and Tanev’s game doesn’t fall off a cliff, maybe we do actually see a hockey trade where Hanifin is dealt for forward help.

There is a chance that Tanev or Gio could be picked up in expansion draft. One of them won’t be protected.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

It just popped into my head today that in a years time, Flames are likely back to having too much salary on the bottom pairing. Because if Valimaki stays healthy, that’s likely where Tanev plays.

Or else, again assuming Valimaki is on track and Tanev’s game doesn’t fall off a cliff, maybe we do actually see a hockey trade where Hanifin is dealt for forward help.

Tanev is a right hand D, Valimaki is a left hand D.

Valimaki wont push Tanev down the depth chart. If anything, he will push Hanifin down the depth chart, which is why I've been an advocate of trading Hanifin for some top 6 forward help.

[jesters91]

I wouldn't consider trading Hanifin UNTIL Valimaki plays a full season and confirms that he is healthy and top 4 ready.

Next off-season is a total different story if upgrades are part of the discussion.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by jesters91

I wouldn't consider trading Hanifin UNTIL Valimaki plays a full season and confirms that he is healthy and top 4 ready.

Next off-season is a total different story if upgrades are part of the discussion.

And that's totally reasonable.

For me though, there are a lot of bargain fringe top 4 LHD still floating out there. If you can sign one of those, and get a sweet top 6 forward for Hanifin, I probably do that all day.

[VilleN]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Tanev is a right hand D, Valimaki is a left hand D.

Valimaki wont push Tanev down the depth chart. If anything, he will push Hanifin down the depth chart, which is why I've been an advocate of trading Hanifin for some top 6 forward help.

I think he was saying Tanev would play with Valimaki.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by VilleN

I think he was saying Tanev would play with Valimaki.

One way or another he was saying there’d be an expensive Dman on the bottom pairing, but there’s no way the Flames would waste Hanifin on the bottom pair. You’d send him somewhere.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

One way or another he was saying there’d be an expensive Dman on the bottom pairing, but there’s no way the Flames would waste Hanifin on the bottom pair. You’d send him somewhere.

Yeah you can expose Gio or Tanev in expansion, but no guarantee they get picked.

It basically all comes back to needing Tanev to play like a top 4 for most of his contract. Which is kind of what everyone knew anyway so not sure why I’m saying it.

[Enoch Root]

So the criticism is that in a year or two, we might have 5 top 4 defensemen?

[mrdonkey]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

So the criticism is that in a year or two, we might have 5 top 4 defensemen?

I think the criticism is that when you look at how Tanev’s numbers have been trending, we might have another Troy Brouwer situation on our hands.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

So the criticism is that in a year or two, we might have 5 top 4 defensemen?

Five players being paid like top 4 defensemen.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Five players being paid like top 4 defensemen.

Likely not. Valimaki will only have two accrued seasons when his ELC is up and won't be eligible for an offer sheet or arbitration. So Treliving will be able to get him signed to a 2 or 3 year deal for lower dollars.

Plus someone likely goes in the Expansion Draft and Giordano only has 2 years left on his deal. So really this shouldn't happen.

5 guys who are paid and play like a top 4 is not so bad. Its having a guy paid like a top 4 who you sit in the press box that is.

I don't care for this contract but compared to some previous Free agent D men like Sarich 5 years at 3.6 per as a 28 year old 4-5 defensive guy or Wideman 5 years at 5 plus for a slow offence only type....I can live with it.

[Bonded]

Maybe he will be a new Sarich for the Flames. I always liked him

[868904]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I'm still pretty skeptical of this contract largely due to the players age. But I think it's clear that Treliving thinks he needs a Hamonic style player in the group.

I think when you watch playoff hockey, it’s pretty clear that this type of defensemen is a necessity.

Even the great offensively inclined Stanley Cup Champion Lightning had guys like this. They picked up Bogosian and had Schenn as well. They were fortunate that Hedman and Mcdonagh and Cernak can also play this style of game.

On the other side, the Stars had Oleksiak and also Johns who was mostly injured though. Vegas has McNabb. Blues won with Edmundson as a key contributor. Cole plays big minutes for the Avs.