TORONTO — “Chris Tanev for playoff MVP!” exclaimed respected Toronto Maple Leafs alumnus Curtis Joseph during an appearance on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, unprompted, while discussing his former team`s tough second-round series against the Florida Panthers. He felt compelled to offer his early vote for the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Realistically, no matter how deep Tanev and his hometown team advance this spring, the 35-year-old remains a long shot for the prestigious award. Stay-at-home defensemen known for blocking shots, absorbing hits, and making smart first passes typically don`t fit the profile of individual award winners.
However, he might just win the vote if the ballots were cast solely by goaltenders, past and present. Remarkably, 25 percent of the starting goalies still active in the playoffs – Toronto`s Joseph Woll and Dallas`s Jake Oettinger – recently discussed over dinner how beneficial it is to play behind a defenseman like Tanev.
Curtis Joseph views Tanev as the cornerstone of the Maple Leafs` smartest, most disciplined, physically tough, and resilient blue line in the “Core Four” era. He sets the aggressive tone for a playoff team that leads all competitors with 215 blocked shots. Joseph also declared him a “no-brainer” for Team Canada`s 2026 Olympic roster, noting Tanev was already a serious contender for the recent 4 Nations Face-Off roster.
“He’s a stud defenceman to me. He plays hard,” Joseph stated. “This is a coming-out for his career, playing for the Leafs, getting all eyes on him. All those guys are playing great, but Tanev has been the big difference-maker back there.”
Tanev`s impact is underscored by leading the Leafs in plus/minus during both the regular season (+31) and the playoffs (+5), despite consistently being matched against the opposition`s most dangerous forwards.
When asked about Tanev`s ranking among defensemen he’s played alongside, teammate Simon Benoit quickly assessed and replied, “He’s up there… Probably top one.”
Across the entire playoffs, Tanev is the undisputed leader in hits taken (81), absorbing 35 more than the next player on the list, his teammate Morgan Rielly (46).
“Taking hits, blocking shots,” William Nylander said with clear admiration. “Just laying his body on the line for the boys every night.”
Interestingly, half of the league`s top 10 most-hit players are Maple Leafs defensemen (Tanev, Rielly, Jake McCabe, Simon Benoit, and Brandon Carlo). This statistic highlights the physical game plan employed by Paul Maurice’s Stanley Cup-winning team and signals a potential concern for Toronto as this fiercely contested quarterfinal escalates into a war of attrition.
“We play a certain style that’s hard to play and hard to play against. It’s no secret, we try to put everything in and try to be physical. And not just on (Tanev), but it`s on their whole team,” explained Florida`s Matthew Tkachuk. “Over a course of a series, if you continue to do that shift after shift, it’s human nature — you’re going to wear down.”
And yet? The undrafted Tanev remains completely unfazed and incredibly fearless.
This veteran right-shot defenseman is the hockey equivalent of an inflatable punching bag, embodying the spirit of that famous lyric: he gets knocked down, but he gets up again.
“Tough as they come,” commented his reliable shutdown partner, Jake McCabe. “He’s so steady. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to win. We’re lucky to have him.”
Coach Craig Berube, himself a proponent of old-school hockey, recognizes Tanev`s similar warrior mentality. “He’s a warrior. He’s a competitive person. Like, he’s right up there with all the ones that have been around, laying his body on the line every night, whether it’s a block, taking a hit to make a play. I mean, you name it. He’s going to lay it on the line.”
