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UPDATE - While sitting in the Vegas airport to fly back after the draft, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and TSN's Chris Johnston reported that the Leafs and Max Domi have agreed on a four-year, $15 million deal ($3.75 million AAV)
Although nothing to guaranteed to happen until it does at this time of the year, the Toronto Maple Leafs trade for defenseman Chris Tanev’s exclusive negotiating rights at the end of the 2024 NHL Draft on Saturday and the price that the Dallas Stars extracted from the Leafs is an indication that the club will likely get the 34-year-old blueliner signed to a contract before the start of free agency on Monday.
The Leafs gave up a 2026 seventh-round pick for Tanev, who was a matchup defender for the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against Vegas, Colorado, and Edmonton. The Stars reportedly were interested in bringing the Toronto native back, but as July 1 was approaching, they could only get a late-round pick for him, as compared to the third-rounder that Tampa gave Carolina for the rights to winger Jake Guentzel.
What that tells you is that there could have been competition for Guentzel’s rights and Canes GM Eric Tulsky was able to play teams against each other to get a higher draft pick.
In the case of Tanev, it has been common knowledge for months that he would like to play in his hometown and for the GM that signed him in Calgary, and because of that, the Stars leverage to get something more was non-existent.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in his update after the draft that the rumored deal for Tanev is six years at $4 million per season. If that is the case, it is likely that the Leafs will front-load the first two or three years of the veteran defenseman’s long-term deal, and because he is under the age of 35, any remaining term would fall off the salary cap if he retires before the contract has expired.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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