Honestly tanev is a big upgrade on schenn though he played good last playoffs
on paper yes but do he will doing really more than what Schenn did last playoff when your considerate rielly-Schenn pair was probably 1 of 3 best defensive pair in playoff?!?!?!
so the 1st pair will still great and still have the same issu on 2nd and 3rd pair...so you still with the same exact problem, lack of transition when rielly is out of the ice...and whatever how good tou are to defend, if youre unable to move the puck, you wil defend again and again... and at the end for sure you will allowing more goal if you're just defending and its pretty hard to score goal.
so yes Tanev and exemple Zadoriv we heard a lot on rumor can defend... but my concern is who will help to move the puck. thats exactly why mccabe and brodie gio-holl/liljegren was struggling last post season and why leafs struggling to create offensive
sometime the best way to defend is just to play less in your own zone# morgan rielly. why he had been much better than brodie and mccabe is not because hes better defensive side, just because he was better to move the puck and keep the puck in the offensive end( so outside of his own territory). If leafs dont get that guy who can move the puck quickly and keep the puck in offensive territory, i just dont know how they can become better.