Of all the stats I’ve come across so far this season, this one might be my favourite: Chris Tanev has been credited with five hits all season.
Tanev is throwing 0.67 hits per 60 minutes, one of the lowest marks for an NHL defender this season (and right in line with other top stoppers such as Jaccob Slavin, Shea Theodore and Devon Toews). The soon-to-be 35-year-old has registered a mere two hits in the last 16 games, a stretch of more than five weeks; he had one against the Utah Hockey Club on Nov. 24 and one at the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 3.
No physicality. No problem.
Tanev looks like the most important addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs this season (though Anthony Stolarz has a case), showcasing a level of mastery on the back end this team hasn’t seen since peak Jake Muzzin. And even Muzzin probably wasn’t at quite this level.
Tanev is a beauty. He is loved by Canucks fans
