New Utah Mammoth forward Brandon Tanev’s Elite Prospects profile shows a gap in playing experience from age 15 to 17 — some of the most crucial years in any player’s development.
His LinkedIn profile fills in the details: He wasn’t battling a long-term injury. He was working at Golf Town.
“My freshman year in high school, I might have been, like, 4-foot-10,” Tanev said in a 2021 episode of Spittin’ Chiclets. “(When) my backpack was filled with all my books, it was probably half the size of me.”
He resumed playing in 2010 after a significant growth spurt, potting 42 points in 46 Junior-A games for the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Markham Waxers. That sample was good enough to earn him a spot the next season on the Surrey Eagles of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League — an even better Junior-A league.
Another productive season launched him to the NCAA, where he’d eventually score the 2015 National Championship-winning goal for Providence College.
Making the NHL
Graduation is the end of the road for many college hockey players, but not Tanev. Just weeks after his final college game, he was suiting up for his first NHL contest after the Winnipeg Jets signed him as a free agent.
He spent the next season proving himself as a full-time NHL player — and he accomplished it rather quickly, playing just 23 AHL games before cementing his spot on the Jets’ roster.
Tanev has never been one to carry his team offensively at the pro level, but his defensive capabilities make him well worth his salary. He slotted into the Jets’ penalty kill rotation right away, and he’s continued to fill that role on every team he’s been on since.
The summer of 2019 afforded Tanev the opportunity to seek a bigger contract as a UFA. He did just that, inking a six-year, $21 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens were a couple years removed from their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships at that point, but having the right to call Sidney Crosby a colleague is an accomplishment in and of itself.
After two seasons in the Steel City, the Seattle Kraken burst onto the scene, claiming “Turbo” in the expansion draft.
He quickly became a fan favorite in the NHL’s then-newest city — something Bill Armstrong, GM of the league’s current newest team, says will be the case in Salt Lake City.
“When we signed him, his agent said, ‘You know, he’s going to be a cult hero in Utah,’” Armstrong said. “I said OK, and then I saw that picture and I thought, ‘Oh, yeah. He’s got a chance.’”
After four seasons in Seattle, the Kraken traded him to the place where it all started: Winnipeg. He helped the Jets to the second round of the playoffs, after which he was due for a new contract.
That’s when he signed with Utah.
“For me, I felt like it was a great fit,” Tanev said. “I worked with Bear last summer at the World Championships. I got to know him and understand him as a coach and person. He’s a phenomenal coach and an even better person. I’m excited to be a part of this group.”
He mentioned a number of specific things he was excited about:
The city and surrounding areasThe ownership group and their desire to winThe excitement of the fansThe energy in the Delta Center, which he felt when he visited last season
“He’s got some bang in his game, and that’s what we love about him,” Armstrong said. “He’s got determination. He wants to make a difference physically. He can kill some penalties. He can play on your second, third lines. He can get out there and give you some energy. … He never shorts you on effort, so he’s going to be an exciting player, I think, for our fans to get to know.”
There’s a good chance Tanev could end up on Utah’s third line in the spot that Josh Doan occupied last season. Doan, along with Jack McBain and Lawson Crouse, had developed an identity as a crash-and-bang, high-energy line — and that’s the exact game Tanev plays.
Winnipeg Jets left wing Brandon Tanev argues with an official during game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Chicago. | AP