Chris Tanev thanks Flames for chance to chase title in Dallas

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Chris Tanev left a serious mark on the Calgary Flames’ group. Years from now, former teammates and followers will nonetheless be speaking about his selfless fashion, his fearless shot-blocking.

Whereas Tanev beloved town and admitted it was powerful to say goodbye to some shut mates, he reiterated after being traded Wednesday to the Dallas Stars that his final aim is to go away his fingerprints on the Stanley Cup.

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That’s why, when Flames normal supervisor Craig Conroy circled again in current weeks about the potential for a contract extension, the 34-year-old defenceman didn’t chew.

“On the finish of the day, I made the choice that I needed to attempt to go win,” Tanev informed Postmedia. “This can be my greatest alternative to do this in my profession, and that’s one thing that I couldn’t flip down. I imply, I actually thank Conny for a way open and trustworthy he was with me. We’ve got an awesome relationship and I recognize him for under eager to commerce me to a contender or to a crew that he thought had an opportunity to win. He may have went in a number of completely different instructions, for certain.”

They’re going to like Tanev in Dallas. There’s a cause that he was thought-about a high goal on the rental market.

They’re going to overlook him in Calgary.

“Clearly, for me, a bizarre feeling. I’ve by no means been traded earlier than,” stated Tanev, who was swapped for defence prospect Artem Grubishov, a second-round choose within the 2024 NHL Draft and a conditional third-rounder in 2026. “Despite the fact that you understand it might occur, when it does occur, it’s nonetheless a shock. However I’m extraordinarily excited to affix Dallas and get down there and get to know the fellows and the group and assist them win.

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“They’ve a very deep crew with plenty of talent and a very good veteran management group, and clearly a tremendous goalie (Jake Oettinger). I imply, we noticed that two years in the past in Calgary. So there are plenty of actually good items there and I’m simply excited to get to know the group and assist in any means I can.”

There are, after all, blended feelings for Tanev, who admitted “most likely the toughest factor” was to depart when the Flames are enjoying their greatest hockey of the season and clawing for place within the wildcard race.

An absolute class act, he had a protracted record of thank-yous he needed to share Thursday — to Murray Edwards and the possession group, to Conroy, Don Maloney and others within the entrance workplace, to Ryan Huska and the teaching employees and to the trainers who’ve marvelled at his skill to play by way of ache.

“And clearly the fellows I’ve been right here with for fairly a while … I actually do love them,” Tanev stated. “My household and I, we actually loved our time right here. The individuals of Calgary handled us so good. Ever since Day 1, they’ve handled me as one in all their very own and we actually can’t thank them sufficient.

“I really feel like each time I used to be on the ice, I gave the whole lot I had to assist this crew win.”

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He certain did.

That will likely be Tanev’s lasting influence in Calgary, that his work ethic and will-to-win has rubbed off on those that will stay by way of the retool.

“I can’t say sufficient about Chris,” Conroy informed Flames Speak on Sportsnet 960 The Fan. “Only a true skilled and an awesome individual to be round. We’ve been lucky to have him right here for 4 years and he’ll be enormously missed, he actually will … All of us watch him, what he does on the ice, but it surely’s how he leads off the ice and the kind of individual he’s, you may’t put a price-tag on that. He’s been an actual stabilizer and nice for our younger guys, too.

“That’s what you need them to aspire to, to be like Chris. I imply, to observe him go work, day in and day trip, within the gymnasium, on the ice, in observe. He by no means takes a shift off in a recreation, and he by no means takes a shift off in observe. He’s even blocking photographs in observe. And simply the work ethic … I need to these younger guys to say, ‘I bear in mind what Chris did. He did this, this, this.’ That’s the way in which I felt with Al MacInnis, watching him after I was in St. Louis. You see the older veteran guys and it’s, ‘Okay, it’s not adequate what I’m doing. I’ve gotta do extra, identical to Chris did.’ ”

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Tanev, as he waits on a piece visa so he can head south to affix the Stars, informed Postmedia that he believes the Flames have a brilliant future. He listed off a number of causes for optimism, beginning with the instance being set by guys like Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman, with the emergence of children like Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil and the return of Oliver Kylington, now poised to slip right into a top-four position.

“They’ve clearly nice management,” Tanev stated. “You take a look at Backs. You take a look at how Colesy has performed and been off the ice this yr, it’s actually spectacular. After which clearly older guys in Naz (Nazem Kadri) and Weegs (MacKenzie Weegar) and Ras (Rasmus Andersson), I really feel like has taken an enormous step in his management position within the room and he’s solely going to get stronger as that continues to unfold.

“They’ve plenty of nice items in there and unbelievable younger expertise that, I believe, form of kickstarted the season for Calgary to have the ability to struggle for the playoffs proper now. I imply, calling up Zars and Pospy and having Kyli again now, these issues have been big after we had a troublesome begin. In order that they positively have the fitting items. I believe the crew is transferring in the fitting course, for certain.”

wgilbertson@postmedia.com

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