The Toronto Maple Leafs are under fire after they signed Chris Tanev to a contract that it does not appear as though he will realistically be able to finish. Tanev was one of the top defenseman available in free agency this summer. Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars reportedly made a big effort to re-sign the veteran blueliner after acquiring him at the trade deadline, but that fell through. In the end, he signed a massive, six-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. <q>🖊️ We've signed defenceman Chris Tanev to a six-year contract<q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1807782477831795076'> </a></blockquote></div> The deal comes with a 4.5 million dollar cap hit. That is more or less what he was expected to make, but considering that he is already 34 years old, a term of six years seems extremely unreasonable, especially considering the max length for a free agent signing is 7 years. Tanev is still a very good defensive defenseman, but how long can he keep that up? <q>Chris Tanev, signed 6x$4.5M by TOR, is a high-end defence-first veteran defenceman who combines stabilizing play in his own end with excellent puck-moving skill. Sacrifices the body to block shots and plays through pain. Was terrific in the 2024 playoffs. #LeafsForever</q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/JFreshHockey/status/1807783216683618401'> </a></blockquote></div> Understandably, many fans were instantly suspicious when the terms of the contract were revealed. After all, giving a 34-year-old a six-year deal just stinks of Robidas island. <q>6 years @ 4.5m with full NMC, what is going on here</q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/iamrobmann/status/1807784153531691419'> </a></blockquote></div> With all of that being said, the Maple Leafs technically did not do anything wrong with Tanev's contract. While it looks like obvious cap circumvention to most fans, the team did not violate any current CBA rules with the contract. This has sparked debate about how these kinds of contracts should work, with many fans suggesting that there should be changes with the next CBA. Considering how much attention this issue has gotten, it seems likely that a rules change will come in two years time when the CBA expires. Until then though, teams will continue to be free to offer contracts like Tanev's. Source: BladeofSteel <a href='https://www.bladeofsteel.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/gary-bettman-has-harsh-words-for-maple-leafs-for-violating-cba-rules' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Gary Bettman has harsh words for Maple Leafs for violating CBA rules</a>