Craig Berube makes his thoughts clear on $27,000,000 Maple Leafs star replacing Alex Pietrangelo for 4 Nations Face-Off

Alex Pietrangelo has withdrawn from the 4 Nations Face-Off due to an injury, opening the door for a replacement. Chris Tanev, a Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman, is now considered a potential replacement for Pietrangelo on Team Canada's roster.

Pietrangelo, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, has 25 points in 48 games. With his withdrawal, Tanev is one of the top options for replacing him.

NHL insider Chris Johnston tweeted on X (formerly Twitter),

"On the possibility of Chris Tanev being tabbed as Alex Pietrangelo's replacement for Team 🇨🇦, #leafs coach Craig Berube says "He'd be a great fit." Mentions the overlap in their penalty killing and defensive abilities."

Chris Tanev signed a 6-year, $27,000,000 contract with a $4,500,000 cap hit in July 2024. He has been strong defensively, especially in penalty killing, a key skill Team Canada needs.

Tanev is playing his 15th NHL season and first with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has 1 goal and 13 assists in 49 games. His plus-minus rating is +18, ranking him 19th in the league. Over his career, he has a +140 rating in 841 games. His defensive skills and shot-blocking ability have been helpful for the Leafs this season, who have a record of 30-18-2 and rank first in the Atlantic Division.

Other players under consideration include Drew Doughty, MacKenzie Weegar, and Brandon Montour.

"Drew Doughty, MacKenzie Weegar and Brandon Montour are among the other players on the radar along with Tanev." Johnston tweeted.

The 4 Nations Face-Off begins on Feb. 12, featuring teams from Canada, Sweden, Finland, and the U.S. It will be interesting to see if Tanev can represent Canada.

Pierre LeBrun hints at potential Alex Pietrangelo replacement

On Tuesday, during a segment on TSN's Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun reported that Team Canada’s GM, Don Sweeney, is considering players to take on Alex Pietrangelo's role but didn’t name anyone.

LeBrun mentioned LA Kings's Drew Doughty as one possible candidate. He hasn’t played this season due to an ankle injury. He’s working to return to game form.

"I spoke with Team Canada, GM, Don Sweeney on Tuesday, and obviously, as usual, he won't get into names," LeBrun said. "Although I did press him on Drew Doughty because of the unique situation Doughty is in - he hasn't played all year, and Don Sweeney said they will obviously watch Doughty's play very closely when he does return, which is imminent,"

LeBrun mentioned that the type of replacement depends on Alex Pietrangelo’s expected role. Tanev could possibly fit as a shutdown defender.