The problem is not that the two sides are about to strike a deal, it's about the length of the impending deal. Dreger believes that the Leafs will be forced to offer 6-7 years for the 34-year-old blueliner to be able to compete with bidders from other markets, including those in tax-free States.
What's going to be most interesting, though, is what does this deal look like? It is going to be mega in term. So, you're talking about 6-7 years, and the reason that Toronto has to do that is just to combat the more tax-friendly markets, like the Dallas Stars."
Stars GM Jim Nill went on the record on Friday evening, stating that it was still his intention to try to sign Tanev, so just because he dealt Tanev's rights, it doesn't mean that he'll simply walk away from the player if he doesn't sign in Toronto before Monday at 12:00pm ET.
If Tanev hasn't signed by then, the Stars are expected to re-engage with the veteran defenseman. Of course, as Dreger mentioned at the top of his comments, a deal in Toronto is all but a certainty at this point.
