Former Stanley Cup winner Eddie Olczyk recently talked about the Toronto Maple Leafs' upcoming season on The Leafs Nation podcast. He discussed defenseman Chris Tanev's importance to the team.
Olczyk praised Tanev as a "winner" and said that players like him are often found on championship teams. He said he was optimistic about the Leafs' chances for "the first time in a long time."
"I've really liked what's happened on the backend. Getting some experience, getting someone like Chris Tanev." Olczyk said, "I think Tanev's a winner. He's the type of guy you need on your team.
"In the recent years, you can check the last 10 Stanley Cups and find someone like Tanev on the winning team." Olczyk said, "I'm not saying of the same skill level, but you need to have a different piece of the puzzle if you want to win. I'm really bullish on the #LeafsForever..really for the first time in a long time."
The Leafs have made big changes to their roster for 2024. They acquired Tanev in a trade with the Dallas Stars and signed him to a six-year, $27 million contract. Oliver Ekman-Larsson also joined the Leafs on July 1, after signing a four-year deal. Goalie Anthony Stolarz signed a two-year contract with the Leafs.
Key players who left the team include Tyler Bertuzzi, who signed with the Chicago Blackhawks, and Ilya Samsonov, who joined the Vegas Golden Knights. Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin have also departed.
Toronto Maple Leafs' projected lineup for the 2024-25 season
The projected lineup for the Maple Leafs features forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares. New additions include Max Domi and Calle Jarnkrok. On defense, Tanev will play alongside Morgan Rielly, and Ekman-Larsson will team up with Timothy Liljegren. Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz will be the goalies.
The Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2024-25 season is as follows:
Forwards:
- Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Mitch Marner
- Bobby McMann - John Tavares - William Nylander
- Pontus Holmberg - Max Domi - Calle Jarnkrok
- Connor Dewar - David Kampf - Ryan Reaves
Defensemen:
- Morgan Rielly - Chris Tanev
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Timothy Liljegren
- Simon Benoit - Jake McCabe
Goalies:
- Joseph Woll
- Anthony Stolarz
The Maple Leafs are looking to strengthen their defense and improve their chances for the 2024-25 season.