‘The head of the snake’: How Chris Tanev personifies the Leafs’ new-attitude defense
-
Kristen Shilton
TORONTO — If Chris Tanev earned a nickname this season, it might be “vintage.”
The 35-year-old defenseman is turning back the clock on Toronto’s blue line, with a showcase of physical sacrifice in the name of team success. The results are not only some of his best ever, but he has helped elevate the Leafs where they need it most. That’s a tall order from one player — unless you’re Tanev, the emerging crown jewel in Toronto’s defense who is even captivating the competition.
“He’s kind of like the head of the snake back there on their back end,” said Matthew Tkachuk, who spent two seasons as Tanev’s teammate in Calgary. “I’ve always said how great a player he’s been for years. But to see him at this stage, and continuing to do it year after year, it’s incredible. You can tell just by the way he conducts himself and talks to [his] team and blocks shots and leads by example … I’ve seen it. It’s no surprise to see what he’s doing now.”
Tanev’s tenacity might be no great shock, but even Tkachuk couldn’t have predicted how Tanev has helped turn the Leafs into a two-headed monster — one not only capable of scoring many goals, but setting a solid defensive tone, too.
To put it charitably, goal suppression hasn’t been Toronto’s forte over the past decade.
It’s on full display now throughout the Leafs’ postseason run, and Tanev has turned his own play up a notch further in Toronto’s second-round series against the Florida Panthers.
According to Stathletes, Tanev has absorbed more hits (81) in the playoffs than any skater, and he’s second in blocked shots (25). He’s also the Leafs’ postseason leader in plus-minus (+5) and was tops in that category during the regular season too (+31) when he and Jake McCabe produced a plus-11 goal differential at 5-on-5.
If all those bodily beatings have taken a toll on Tanev, you’d never know it from the smile — revealing a gap from some teeth dislodged along the way — etched permanently on his face.
“Every day is a great day,” he said, when asked how he’s feeling. “You wake up and you’re happy and you come to the rink.”
That sunny disposition is another Tanev hallmark, one that works in tandem with his ferocious on-ice attitude. There’s a complexity to the veteran’s character — he’s known to be unassuming, a silent observer who’s quietly funny. Tanev doesn’t court the spotlight, but it has found him in these playoffs where a commanding individual performance has propelled Toronto during its most promising playoff run in years. Attention was bound to follow.
“He’s a guy who goes out and gives it his all every single game,” Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner said. “It’s something you really love to have on your team. He puts his body on the line every single shift as well. I think that’s why we’re having so much success is because of him.”
WHEN IT COMES to playoff hockey, you’ve got to “play each night like you’re willing to die on that ice,” according to veteran Leafs forward Max Pacioretty.
That’s Tanev’s style year-round. And the Leafs have needed a player like him on defense for too long.
Toronto general manager Brad Treliving knew Tanev could be a difference-maker from his time as the Flames’ GM during Tanev’s four-year tenure with the team. He anchored Calgary’s back end right up until Treliving’s successor in Calgary, Craig Conroy, traded him to Dallas in February 2024 as the Flames entered a rebuilding phase.
Tanev was a pending unrestricted free agent at the time, and a coveted right-shot defender like him wouldn’t last long on the free agent market. Treliving wanted early access to Tanev’s potential services and acquired his rights from the Stars last June in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick and prospect Max Ellis. The move gave Toronto an exclusive window to negotiate with Tanev toward a long-term deal, and by July 1 they had come together on a six-year, $27 million contract.
The Toronto native was officially coming home. And Tanev’s reputation as a grinder preceded him right into the Leafs’ room. He was then fresh off Dallas’ run to a Western Conference finals appearance, a stretch where Tanev led the playoff field in blocked shots (73 in 19 games) after finishing fourth in that category during the regular season (207).
Craig Berube was also new to the Leafs, coming on board for his first season as head coach, and Berube’s north-south playstyle fit in perfectly with Tanev’s take-no-prisoners perspective.
“He’s an old school type of guy,” Berube said. “He’s a warrior. He’s a competitive person. 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, or taking a hit to make a play. You name it. He’s going to lay it on the line.”
That’s been painfully clear in the Leafs’ series against Florida. Tanev has taken a beating from the Panthers in stride, even when it has hurt. There was the hit from behind by Brad Marchand in Game 4; Tanev simply popped back up like a kernel — just like he did following a crushing hit in Game 2 (although Tanev was a bit slower off the ice on that one). He was also crushed by Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe in the first period of Friday’s Game 3 — but not before he got the puck to McCabe.
It was only moments later that John Tavares scored to extend the Leafs’ lead in that one. Consider Tanev with a third assist there, from executing the sort of game-changing move that can give the opposition fits.
“That’s the strength of him, is that he’ll hang onto the puck an awful lot to make plays,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “And he makes plays. He’s probably underrated in some of his puck movement. He’s been doing that forever. He blocks shots, takes hits; keeps playing.”
Others may wince in the wake of Tanev’s fearlessness. The thought process is just second nature now though.
“Sometimes you’re trying to draw guys in and sort of absorb a hit before you move [the puck],” he said. “Probably there are some times where I can move it a little quicker, but that’s just playoff hockey and that’s what happens.”
Tanev isn’t one to bellyache either, whether he’s feeling the burn or not. It’s an inspiring commitment that has rubbed off on Tanev’s teammates: If he’s willing to put his weight into every shift, then the group’s collective defensive effort has to be there, too.
“You see some plays and you think after the game he’s going to be complaining about it, and you don’t hear a word from him about it,” Pacioretty said. “He just goes about his business. And that was throughout the entire year. You see a shot block earlier in the year, and you’re like, ‘Oh, man, you must be hurting or limping for days’ and he just comes back to the rink like nothing happened.
“So he’s extremely tough, and he’s willing to sacrifice everything for the team, and that doesn’t go unnoticed in that room.”
By just how much, exactly?
“He’s up there [as toughest teammate],” defenseman Simon Benoit said. “He’s got to be up there, like, top one.”
TANEV HAS MANY TALENTS on the ice.
He’s got a few off it, too. And, like plenty else about him, learning how Tanev spends his downtime was an eye-opener.
“I found out he’s doing schoolwork on the road a lot, which I think is crazy,” Marner said. “But he’s dedicated to working hard, and anything he starts he wants to finish and that’s something you appreciate. It’s impressive.”
Tanev didn’t exactly plan on textbooks filling his suitcase as an NHL player. Then again, he didn’t see a global pandemic coming, either. But when the league shut down in 2020, Tanev decided to make the most of it, picking up on the finance degree he started as a player at Rochester Institute of Technology in 2009.
“I went to school for a year and left and took a ten-year break,” Tanev joked. “When COVID happened, my wife was like, ‘why don’t you start taking classes [again]?” We were just sitting at home. And I’ve been doing it since. So I’m almost done.”
The business side of life comes “naturally” to Tanev, something he hinted at when explaining why he wanted to sign with Toronto in the first place. When asked at the time why he would want to leave a place like Texas, with its low state income tax, to be in Canada, where taxes are notably higher, Tanev had an educated answer.
“You do have the lower state tax [in Texas], but I’ve played in Canada for 14 years [between Vancouver and Calgary from 2010-14],” he said. “I’m from [Toronto], and my wife’s family is from close to here. There’s also a tax when you leave Canada to become a U.S. citizen — there’s a departure tax to leave Canada.”
Avoiding that deemed depositions tax — accrued when a Canadian permanently relocates elsewhere — showed a glimpse into Tanev’s financial savvy, and illustrated how, just like when he’s patrolling the Leafs’ blue line, he is constantly trying to stay in front of the competition.
“He’s a stud back there,” forward Matthew Knies said. “I think he’s always watching. He’s thinking ahead, making the play and getting the puck out of his own zone, and blocking shots. That’s what it takes to win.”
It’s boring, almost, to watch Tanev in action. He’s so rarely out of position or causing cringe-worthy turnovers that have poisoned playoff runs for Toronto in the past. There’s a self-assurance to Tanev that radiates as part of his personality.
“[He’s a] calming presence,” Marner said. “If anyone knows him off the ice, he’s one-of-a-kind, he’s very calm and to himself. Every once in a while you’ll hear him make a joke, which is usually pretty funny.”
What is no laughing matter is how critical Tanev is to Toronto’s hope of denying the Panthers another Cup Final appearance — and attempting to make one of their own. The Leafs held a 2-0 series lead over Florida before the Panthers defended home ice with a pair of victories to pull even at 2-2. When the puck drops on Game 5 in Toronto, it’s officially a best-of-three, though the Leafs still have home-ice advantage to work with there.
To finish the job, the Leafs will take everything Tanev can give — but they can’t afford to lose him in the process, either. There was a collective inhale when Tanev exited Game 3 for several shifts after a shot block; turns out, it was only a broken skate.
“Frustrating,” according to Tanev, to even miss a few minutes at this time of year when his contributions are critical.
“He’s done this for a long time,” said Berube, on Tanev’s refusal to shy away from harm. “So, I’m not going to talk to him about changing.”
Toronto wouldn’t dream of it. Tanev is leading by example on what it takes to truly be all-in. If the rest of Tanev’s teammates follow suit, there’s no telling how far Toronto can take their postseason run.
“He’s as tough as they come,” McCabe said of his partner. “He’s so steady. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to win. We’re lucky to have him.”
-
David Schoenfield
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh blasted his 48th and 49th home runs on Sunday in back-to-back at-bats in the first two innings against the Athletics, breaking Salvador Perez‘s record for most home runs in a season by a catcher. The next night, he became the second switch-hitter with 50 home runs in a season, joining Mickey Mantle in the exclusive club.
While Raleigh’s season hasn’t exactly come out of nowhere — he reached 30 home runs the previous two years — the fact that we’re not even in September yet certainly makes his power exploits even more impressive.
In honor of his record-breaking season, let’s dig into some of the numbers around his 2025 campaign. And with Raleigh now at 50 home runs, we’ll also break down where his season ranks among the most surprising 50-homer seasons in MLB history.
Cal Raleigh stands alone!
Big Dumper is the first catcher in @MLB history to reach 49 home runs in a single season. #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/jVllJypOGr
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 24, 2025
So, is this the greatest power-hitting season ever from a catcher?
If you want to get technical about it, this is open for discussion. Like Perez with the Kansas City Royals in 2021, Raleigh has benefited from some DH time, with nine of his home runs coming as a DH. Perez’s figures were even more extreme, with 15 of his 48 home runs coming as a DH.
The record for home runs while only playing catcher belongs to Javy Lopez, who hit 42 for the Atlanta Braves in 2003 in just 117 games (he hit one more as a pinch-hitter). That was an impressive season for Lopez, who hit .328/.378/.687 with a 1.065 OPS. He fell seven plate appearances short of the 502 needed for official qualification, otherwise his OPS would rank as the second-highest ever for a catcher (behind Mike Piazza’s 1.070 in 1997) and his .687 slugging as the highest ever (Piazza slugged .638 in ’97). (And we would be remiss not to mention Josh Gibson’s hitting heroics in the Negro Leagues, as he topped both those figures multiple times.)
Raleigh leads the majors in home runs, which would put him alongside Johnny Bench as the only catcher to lead the majors if he maintains his lead over Kyle Schwarber and Shohei Ohtani. Bench, who topped the majors with 45 home runs in 1970 and 40 in 1972, played 158 games in 1970 and 147 in 1972, occasionally playing other positions when he wasn’t catching in lieu of the option to DH.
Could any other catcher in history have hit this many?
Lopez would have been the obvious candidate. Raleigh will soar past 600 plate appearances; Lopez’s home run rate prorated to 625 plate appearances gets him to 54 home runs. Piazza hit 40 home runs in 1997, but did bat 633 times while playing in 152 games, so you can’t really fudge more than a few extra home runs, even if he had more DH opportunities. Roy Campanella hit 41 for Brooklyn in 1953, batting 590 times while playing 144 games (although starting just 130). Give him the 162-game schedule and some DH starts and maybe he gets close to 50. Todd Hundley is the only other catcher with a 40-homer season, hitting 41 for the 1996 New York Mets in 624 plate appearances.
While Raleigh has slowed down since the All-Star break, especially in the batting average department, his season is also particularly impressive because he’s doing this in a very pitcher-friendly home park. He’s hitting .223/.317/.572 with 24 home runs at home and .269/.385/.614 with 25 home runs on the road. His home run rate is similar, but no doubt he has lost a few home runs to the marine layer in Seattle. To hit 50 home runs in a tough home run park as a catcher playing almost every game is a stunning accomplishment.
Are there any other records Raleigh can break?
Glad you asked. It feels like the record for home runs by a switch-hitter isn’t getting enough publicity. Mickey Mantle — now that’s a big name — holds the mark with 54 in 1961. Indeed, he is the only other switch-hitter with a 50-homer season, also hitting 52 in 1956. Raleigh is now third on the all-time list, having soared past Lance Berkman and Chipper Jones, who had 45 in their best seasons. He’s projected to surpass that 54 mark, so this could be the next record to fall.
Then there’s the Mariners team record: Ken Griffey Jr. had back-to-back 56-homer seasons in 1997 and ’98. With 31 games left on the Mariners’ schedule, Raleigh has certainly put that total in play as well.
What were the most surprising 50-homer seasons?
Once he hits No. 50, Raleigh will have the 51st season in MLB history with 50 home runs — by 33 different players.
Which of those were most surprising? Obviously, there were a lot of goofy home run totals from the steroid eras, and a couple of those seasons crack our top seven list:
7. Luis Gonzalez, Arizona Diamondbacks, 2001 (57)
Gonzalez topped 30 home runs just one other time in his career (31 in 2000) but hit .325/.429/.688 with 57 home runs and 142 RBIs in the D-backs’ World Series-winning season. The offensive numbers were so extreme in the NL in 2001, however, that Gonzalez finished just third in home runs (behind Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa) and third in the MVP voting.
6. Roger Maris, New York Yankees, 1961 (61)
Maris’ historic season obviously can’t be considered a complete fluke considering he hit 39 home runs and won the AL MVP Award in 1960, but breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record of 60 set in 1927 is one of the great achievements in MLB history. That was the year that MLB expanded, and Maris’ teammate Mickey Mantle also hit 54 home runs, while three other American Leaguers hit at least 45.
5. George Foster, Cincinnati Reds, 1977 (52)
Foster had hit 29 home runs in 1976 and would follow up his 1977 MVP season with 40 home runs in 1978, but he hit 30 home runs just one other time (30 in 1979). His ’77 season also stands out because it was the only 50-homer season between Willie Mays in 1965 and Cecil Fielder in 1990. Foster did benefit from a new, livelier ball, after MLB switched its manufacturer from Spalding to Rawlings. The NL batting average increased from .255 to .262 in 1977 and home runs per game increased 47%, from .057 to 0.84.
4. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees, 2017 (52)
3. Pete Alonso, New York Mets, 2019 (53)
These seasons don’t look so surprising in retrospect, but both were shocking at the time since they occurred in their rookie seasons, with Judge setting a record in 2017 and then Alonso breaking it just two years later. Both were regarded as good prospects — but not great ones. Judge was No. 44 on ESPN’s preseason Top 100 list in 2017 while Alonso was No. 90 in 2019. Judge had hit just 19 home runs in the minors in 2016 (in 93 games), although his raw power was obvious; Alonso had hit 36 in the minors, so at least looked like your more prototypical hitting prospect.
Alonso’s year, in particular, is fascinating because he wasn’t even guaranteed a roster spot entering the season — the Mets had publicly mentioned his defense as a reason he hadn’t been called up in 2018. They also had a crowded field contending for first base in spring training: former top prospect Dominic Smith, Todd Frazier and J.D. Davis (both couldn’t play third base), as well as Jed Lowrie, who the Mets had signed as a free agent but couldn’t play at second base because they had traded for Robinson Cano. Lowrie hurt his left knee in spring training and Frazier was also injured at the start of the season while Alonso had a strong spring, earning the starting job over Smith.
2. Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays, 2010 (54)
Bautista was a 29-year-old journeyman coming off a 13-homer season, so he stunned everyone with this 54-homer season. He had overhauled his swing and started not only hitting the ball in the air more but pulling it much more often (his pull rate improved from 34% to 49%). He would prove it wasn’t a fluke, hitting 43 home runs in 2011 and 40 in 2015.
1. Brady Anderson, Baltimore Orioles, 1996 (50)
Anderson’s season still stands out as one of the fluke home run seasons of all time — his second-highest total was 24 home runs in 1999. Considering he was 32 years old at the time and coming off a 16-homer season, conspiracy theorists attribute his power spike to performance-enhancing drugs, which Anderson has consistently denied he used. Like Bautista, he pulled the ball more than ever that year while also hitting more fly balls. He played through a broken rib the following season and then he played through neck and back issues in 1998, both of which might have affected his power output. But that 50-homer season will live forever.
So where does Raleigh rank?
Probably along the lines of Gonzalez and Foster — a good power hitter having a career season, except Raleigh gets a little extra surprise credit for doing it as a catcher. Of course, we don’t know what he’ll do in the future, although you do wonder if he can keep playing this many games season after season. He has missed just three games all season, including just one since the All-Star break, but with the Mariners battling for both the division title and a wild-card spot, it’s going to be exceedingly difficult for manager Dan Wilson to rest Raleigh. The strikeouts have really piled up in August, including one five-strikeout game and three three-strikeout games, so it feels like he could use a day off or two. For now, the Mariners will hope he can keep grinding and keep hitting home runs.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment11 months agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024