Photo leaks online of how close the Maple Leafs were to acquire Chris Tanev

For months leading up to the NHL trade deadline, rumors swirled about the Maple Leafs acquiring Tanev, the top defenseman on the market. Many fans hoped he would land in Toronto. Today, a new post on X showing a pair of gloves in Maple Leafs colors for Chris Tanev suggests the trade was almost finalized.

Despite these gloves, the Toronto Maple Leafs could not secure the defensive defenseman. Instead, Tanev went to the Dallas Stars and helped them reach the Western Conference Finals.

Although the Maple Leafs narrowly missed out on landing Chris Tanev, it likely wouldn't have made a significant difference. The Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round and seem to have larger organizational issues. Nonetheless, it would have been interesting to see the impact of Chris Tanev joining Toronto.

Source: Hockey Patrol
Photo evidence shows Maple Leafs were close to acquiring defenseman Chris Tanev