The Toronto Maple Leafs took care of some business on Monday morning before free agency officially opened. The Maple Leafs signed both Chris Tanev and Joseph Woll to new deals. Tanev gets a six-year deal and Woll extends for three. Both will be key parts of the roster next season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Monday, “We’ve signed defenceman Chris Tanev to a six-year contract.” The average annual value of the contract is $4.5 million and Elliotte Friedman reports, “Full no-move throughout. Approx 80 percent in bonuses.”
The signing is huge for the Leafs, but it’s also being critiqued by many for being too long and too expensive. Greg Wyshynski of ESPN writes, “Tanev is the guy you get at the trade deadline for six weeks, not the guy you sign for six years.”
He is a top-tier, defense-first veteran defenseman known for his stabilizing presence in his own end and exceptional puck-moving abilities. He willingly sacrifices his body to block shots and consistently plays through pain. He was outstanding in the 2024 playoffs. That said, his playing style has led to multiple injuries throughout his career and his age should be a concern for the team.
Tanev, 34, played 56 games for the Calgary Flames before joining the Dallas Stars, where he recorded five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in 19 games and added two assists in 19 playoff games. In 792 career NHL games, the Toronto native has tallied 190 points (33 goals, 157 assists) and 194 penalty minutes with Vancouver, Calgary, and Dallas. The 6’2″, 193-pound defenseman has also posted 13 points (1 goal, 12 assists) in 60 playoff games.
Maple Leafs Also Sign Joseph Woll
The Maple Leafs also announced on Monday that they signed goaltender Joseph Woll to a three-year contract extension. The deal carries an average annual value of $3.66 million.
Woll, 25, recorded a 12-11-1 record with a 2.94 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage in 25 games with the Maple Leafs during the 2023-24 season. In the postseason, he excelled with a 2-0 record, a 0.86 goals-against average, and a .964 save percentage in three appearances against the Boston Bruins. Woll has earned the starting role in Toronto despite having only played 39 career NHL games with the Maple Leafs. He’s posted a 23-13-1 record, a 2.65 goals-against average, and a .915 save percentage.
Woll is entering the final year of a contract that pays him $766,667 per season. The new contract will take him through to the end of the 2027-28 season. This contract has the potential to be a real win if he continues to trend upward over his career.
The Leafs are reportedly also working on trying to get goaltender Anthony Stolarz in Toronto.
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