Mitch Marner's wing spot on the Toronto Maple Leafs depth chart is about to open up.
They could use a veteran replacement.
Pro Hockey Rumors predicts that Toronto will add a wing in free agency. He won't be a direct replacement for Marner, but he'll help.
That player: Brandon Tanev from the Winnipeg Jets.
PHR predicts he'll sign a two-year deal for a total value of $4.5 million.
"Last time he reached free agency, Tanev surprised many when he landed a six-year contract," PHR writes. "That won’t be the case this time around at the age of 33 but not a lot has changed over these past six seasons. When healthy, he has been an energetic and gritty winger who has chipped in with some depth scoring having reached the double-digit goal mark in two of the last three years. He’s a pure bottom-six player at this stage of his career but at a time when the league is starting to shift back toward adding some physicality, that should help Tanev’s market and it’s likely he’ll be one of the more sought-after depth players."
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Tanev will turn 34 years old in December.
He has played in parts of five seasons with the Jets, four with the Kraken and a pair with the Penguins.
Tanev scored 10 goals with 12 assists in 2024-25 while adding 105 blocked shots and 168 hits.
He's the kind of bottom-six grit-and-grind player that a competitive team needs.
He'd be a smart addition for the Maple Leafs, for sure.
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