Winnipeg Jets sign Brandon Tanev to Entry Level Contract

Jets Nation is proud to break a signing with saying that the Winnipeg Jets have signed collegiate graduate and free agent Brandon Tanev to an entry level contract, one year at $925,000 for the 2015-2016 season. This makes Tanev a Restricted Free Agent for the Jets next season.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie earlier tweeted out that the Jets were close to signing the 24-year-old:

Sources outside of the Jets but close to the player disclosed to Jets Nation that the Jets won the bidding for the young forward.

The left-shooting left-winger was the teammate of Jets’ prospect Erik Foley and is the brother of Vancouver Canucks’ defender Chris Tanev.

Tanev has been watched by NHL teams for some while, including Darren Dreger commenting that about a dozen teams were looking at the player back in January.

The winger was passed on the draft, likely due to size issues. According to the Canucks’ development camp roster in 2011, Tanev was 5’10 and 150 lbs as a 19-year-old. It’s understandable why teams would avoid a player at that size. While an undersized scoring forward in the CHL may be drafted by teams (like the Jets’ own Nic Petan), Tanev was playing in tier-two junior with the OJHL and BCHL.

Tanev numbers won’t wow anyone, with 77 points scored in 149 collegiate games over four seasons; he does have some scoring ability. The winger’s 15 goals this season was tied with Mark Jankowski for team lead and he came second in team shots on goal per game. Tanev pulled this off while playing on the second line and power play unit for likely the second best team in Hockey East.

The two-way forward passes almost all classical eye-test the check marks, including a growth spurt pulling him up to 6’0 and 180 lbs. Tanev is known for his decision making, in making plays that are conductive to his coach trusting him in defensive situations like the penalty kill. He is not scared to get his nose dirty along the boards or in front of the net either.

Tanev’s best asset though is his speed. While he won’t win any races against Kyle Connor or Nikolaj Ehlers, Tanev boasts a pretty good top gear which could make him an effective penalty killer at the NHL level. 

We should point out that non-drafted NCAA graduates rarely make the NHL. In fact, the percentage is less than 1 per cent becoming NHL regulars. That said, Tanev is a sought after free agent and is already ahead of many of his peers simply by earning an ELC, with most of the rest looking at AHL or ECHL contracts.

At the very least Tanev will provide the Jets with some added forward depth, competition at camp, and boost the Manitoba Moose.