The Vancouver Canucks have a problem.

Is it a lack of confidence? Lack of talent? Bad coach?

Is there a problem with the leader? Broken locker room?

There is no shortage of theories thrown out, and the truth may involve a combination of all theories.

All this underscores what a big mistake it was for Chris Tanev to enter the free agency market 13 months ago.

After the end of the 2019-20 season, Tanev signed a four-year contract with the Calgary Flames worth $4.5 million. The dollar value makes sense, but considering Tanev’s 30-year-old age and injury history, the term is risky.

Sometimes teams need to overspend a little bit in the free agency market, and it turns out that this is one of them. But in recent years, General Manager Jim Benning has overpaid Louis Eriksson (US$6 million), Jay Beagle (US$3 million) and Antoine Russell in the free agent market. ($3 million) and Taylor Myers ($6 million), so there is not enough flexibility to do the same with Tanev.

In hindsight, giving Tanev four years doesn't seem like a bad idea now.

Count the areas where Canucks needs help. Of all these, except Game of Thrones, Tanev missed it very much.

Thanks to Tanev's second-most playing time for the Flames this season (21 minutes and 05 seconds per game), Calgary tied for the most points in the NHL. They ranked first in average goals scored, gave up the fifth fewest shots, and had the fifth best free throw percentage.

After so many injury-ridden seasons in Vancouver, Tanev has not missed a game with the Fire.

According to our sports writer Aaron Vickers in Calgary, no one will play more minutes for the Flames than Tanev, and Tanev is their most irreplaceable Guard.

At 5 vs. 5, Tanev partnered with Oliver Kylington. Oliver Kylington is a 24-year-old blue line player who performed well in his first year as a full-time NHL player.

"Tenny is a great person, and I think our chemistry on the ice and on the ice is very good," Kellington told reporters last week. "We read each other very well, I think he is a very, very good player, which helps me a lot. I just try to do what I am good at and I know what I am good at. He is a very good defensive d- man. I think it’s really good for us to compliment each other."

Quinn Hughes might cry.

Simply adding Tanev to your team will not solve all problems, as the Fire missed the playoffs last season as evidenced by this. Nevertheless, Tanev is one of their best players and was praised by general manager Brad Treliving after last season.

Tanev ended the season with a broken rib and a torn pectoral muscle-firmly cementing his reputation as an Alberta Warrior.

"I think he missed a training [that's it]," Trellivan said. "This will tell you something about Chris Tanev."

"I don't know if I have ever seen a player finish this guy's game this year in about a month," Treleven added. "He fights till the end, he won't come out."

"I am very impressed with Chris. He is a perfect professional player... He is just a real stabilizer; he makes people around him better. Many of his games are underestimated. We talked about his defense. How good, but he moves very well, and he uses his ice hockey ability to get you out of trouble."

"You talk about the culture of winning and what it takes to win. This person puts it on the line. We are lucky to have him."

Do you think Canucks can use some of them?

Vancouver currently has the worst penalty shootout percentage in the NHL and has given up the 10th-ranked number of goals.

The Canucks have some offensive defensive players, but they didn't notice Tanev's attention to defense-even though he has grown old. He looked back with Hughes, and how good would he even be with Oliver Ekman Larson's lockout partner?

Tanev fearlessly blocked the shot with his body and interrupted the pass with his stick. What did Vancouver's penalty shootout look like?

What will the Canucks forward look like when he accepts Tanev's cool pass in the neutral zone?

If there is a leadership gap or split in the locker room, do you think Tanev, a player affectionately called "Dad" by his Canucks teammates, will help?

Paying four years for Tanev is a gamble for the Flames, but it's not as risky as giving Eriksson six years or Beagle and Russell four years each. Bradenholt earned $4.3 million per season, but was quickly bought out. After getting the $2.55 million AAV contract, Jake Virtanen was also bought out.

Over the years, money has been spent rashly, but they have drawn a clear line in Tanev.

They are now paying the price.

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