The Maple Leafs’ shot-block leader would likely take another for the team — Team Canada, that is.
Chris Tanev heard his name bandied about before the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters were released last month and, now that Vegas blueliner Alex Pietrangelo has decided to skip the tournament, there’s buzz around him again.
His initial chances were good enough that there had been autumn discussions with general manager Don Sweeney and the rest of Canada’s staff through Leafs GM Brad Treliving.
“I’d talked to Tre and stuff about it,” Tanev said Tuesday after practice. “But as I’ve said, it’s not really what I’m focused in (with five games for Toronto before the break). Day-to-day stuff here is extremely important to me. We’re trying to get ourselves where we need to be, in a good spot going into this break.
“Whatever happens (with Team Canada), happens. It’s a big part of the season for us (now).”
Pietrangelo said he wanted time off to deal with nagging injuries that are important to heal for the Golden Knights at playoff time.
Canada could opt for more offence in his absence by inviting Dougie Hamilton of New Jersey or Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard. But replacing a rugged minute-muncher such as Pietrangelo could lure them to ask Tanev, who has has some international experience.
Tanev has 132 blocks, third-highest in the NHL before Tuesday night’s games, and the 35-year-old is a Leafs-leading plus-18.
Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings has made it known he wants to play as part of his recovery from a sprained ankle suffered in training camp. But there’s no great hurry to plug in a replacement as rosters can be tinkered with up to the start of the tournament.
There is one Leaf on each of the four countries’ rosters: Mitch Marner for Canada, Auston Matthews for the United States, William Nylander with Sweden and, if his knee holds up, Jani Hakanpaa for Finland.
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