Chris Tanev gets 100% honest about ‘hungry, desperate’ Blue Jackets amidst Columbus’ wild-card chase

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev sounded a warning about the team’s upcoming game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are currently fighting for a spot in the playoffs. The Blue Jackets currently have 77 points from 74 games, four points short of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Hockey News writer Nick Barden posted a quote from Tanev on X on Saturday.

"Hungry, desperate. They’ve kicked our a*s twice. Very offensive, very good off the rush ... They’re a very good rush team with a lot of skill, so we gotta try and neutralize that," Tanev said.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have defeated the Leafs twice this season. The first game on Oct. 22 saw the Leafs lose 6-2. They also suffered a 5-1 defeat on Jan. 22.

The Leafs are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Their run of form has seen them clinch a playoff berth ahead of time and catapulted them to the top of the Atlantic Division.

The Blue Jackets, in contrast, have a 3-6-1 record in their last 10. They have struggled in recent weeks and dropped crucial points while fighting for a spot in the playoffs. Their most recent 7-3 loss came against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. The Blue Jackets had been leading 3-2 in the second period before they let in five goals.

“We just can't shoot ourselves in key situations,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said (NHL.com). “Where the game's still sitting there and we're still in the spot and we do something kind of uncharacteristic and systematically that we don't do, and it ends up in our net, or flips the momentum of the hockey game, and think that third goal probably did that.”

Chris Tanev is expected to play a big part in the game against the Blue Jackets

The Leafs will be looking to Chris Tanev to shore up their defensive game and avoid getting swept by the Blue Jackets this season. His role will be even more crucial, given that they are without defenseman Jake McCabe and fourth-line center David Kampf.

“Starts in the D-zone a lot of times and doesn’t care. Doesn't complain about it. Just does his job. And he's a guy that you love to have on your team and in the locker room,” Tanev’s teammate Mitch Marner said via Sportsnet.

Tanev is also one block shy of breaking the NHL season record. He is currently tied with Carl Gunnarsson at 176 blocks. He is expected to pair with Oliver Ekman-Larsson in Saturday’s game.