The Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t the only team looking to lock up one of its’ pending restricted free agents.
According to Jim Jamieson of The Vancouver Province, the Canucks and defenseman Chris Tanev have begun contract negotiations.
Tanev signed a one-year, $2 million contract last July and becomes a restricted free agent at the end of this season.
Jamieson reports that Tanev’s new agent, Wade Arnott, characterized contract talks this week as preliminary.
Tanev has 11 points and a plus-8 rating in 45 games this season while averaging 21 minutes a night in ice time.
The 25-year-old’s value to the club could increase in the coming weeks with news today veteran defenseman Kevin Bieksa is out indefinitely with a broken hand.