Insider Reveals The Real Reason The Maple Leafs Didn't Trade For Chris Tanev

For months the Toronto Maple Leafs were pursuing a top defenseman on the trade market. One name that was linked most often to Toronto was Chris Tanev from Calgary. The hype got so serious that leaked trade offers for Tanev from the Maple Leafs were made public. While the Maple Leafs would have loved to land Tanev things did not end up working out that way.

Instead of wearing a Toronto Maple Leaf jersey by the end of the deadline Tanev was sent to the Dallas Stars instead. The Stars took on Tanev's expiring contract and now he plays in their top four in pursuit of a Stanley Cup.

This trade had all Maple Leafs fans bummed about missing out on Tanev. The team would eventually add Ilya Lyubushkin and Joel Edmundson. Up to this point the reason the Maple Leafs didn't make a larger move to bring in a defenseman had not been known. Luckily today we finally got at least a partial answer to that question.

In a new article from Hockey Feed, the reason that Chris Tanev did not end up on the Maple Leafs was revealed. Insider Nick Kypreos confirmed on his show Kyper's Korner" that Tanev's expiring contract was the issue that killed the potential trade.

If this truly is the reason that the Maple Leafs did not end up making a deal for Tanev it is understandable. Giving four years of contract term to a 34-year-old defenseman would not be good business. Even though the team did not take the risk on Tanev it is still shocking that GM Brad Treliving could not find a single defenseman on the market he could acquire and commit to long-term.

As the playoffs begin to unfold and both the Maple Leafs and Stars begin their run it will be interesting to see if the Maple Leafs end up regretting their choice.