The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have re-signed defenceman Chris Tanev to a 5-year contract extension. The deal is believed to be worth $4.45 million per season.

Canucks announce Chris Tanev five year extension. AAV $4.45M.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 24, 2015

Tanev will receive $3.5M in the first two years of the deal, $5M in years 3 and 4, and $5.25M in the final year (thanks to Elliotte Friedman for the details). The contract also includes a limited no-trade clause, meaning Tanev must provide a list of teams that he can be traded to.

Benning says Tanev has limited no-trade protection throughout his 5-year contract. #Canucks

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 24, 2015

Still just 25-years-old, Tanev has been a calming influence on the Canucks blue line ever since breaking into the NHL during the 2010-11 season. Once believed by many to have limited potential, Tanev has been proving doubters wrong over the past two seasons and this contract is well deserved.

Tanev has played through a pair of one-year contracts over the past two seasons, determined to prove his worth, and that is just what he has done this year. Paired with Alex Edler, the duo has been very effective at shutting down the opposition’s best players.

While he will never be a Norris Trophy candidate because of his limited offensive ability, he is unquestionably valuable and probably still a little bit underrated. Tanev has the third best Corsi on the team, and the best Corsi among Canucks defencemen. That means that other than Henrik and Daniel Sedin, the Canucks’ shot differential is best when Tanev is on the ice.

Chris Tanev’s new contract slots nicely into the Canucks pay structure. His $4.45 million cap hit puts him just below Dan Hamhuis ($4.5 M) and Kevin Bieksa ($4.6 M). Alex Edler ($5M) is the team’s top paid defender.

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