Tanev Providing 'Turbo' Boost On and Off The Ice

Whenever a Penguins player or coach is asked about the fiery Patric Hornqvist, they can't help but smile. The same can be said for Brandon Tanev, who has endeared himself to everyone around him with his energy, enthusiasm and passion.

The Penguins are going to need those qualities than ever as they prepare to play their best-of-five qualifying round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto without any fans in the stands.

"(Tanev) brings a whole ton of energy both on and off the ice," Bryan Rust said with a grin. "I think every team needs guys like that. He's there, especially when there aren't going to be fans and there isn't going to be too much noise in the building. Him and Horny come to mind as the two guys who are going to be going up and down the bench, getting guys fired up and just building that energy."

And with Hornqvist currently being held out of training camp, there has certainly been somewhat of a void left behind in his absence - but it's one that Tanev is more than happy to help fill.

"I like to keep things light, talk as much as I can," Tanev said. "Bringing your team up any way you can, whether that's communicating on the bench or just having a positive attitude."

Overall, Tanev has had a fantastic influence on the group both on and off the ice since signing a five-year contract with Pittsburgh on the first day of free agency last July after four-plus seasons with Winnipeg. It's only been a year, but it feels like a lot more with how seamless and perfect the fit has been.

"I made the right decision to come to Pittsburgh," Tanev said during the pause. "The organization and the team and everybody involved has been so first-class. The guys in the locker room are great, so is the coaching staff - everybody in the organization does such a great job. That made things so much easier for me coming in as a new player, when you're able to come in, it almost feels like you've been here for years.

"You're extremely comfortable and confident in your situation, and the city of Pittsburgh has been great. I love everything about it."

On the ice, the 28-year-old winger's physical, fast and tenacious style has been a huge boost. Nicknamed "Turbo" for his speed, Sullivan said that Tanev has helped the Penguins recapture some of theirs as a team.

Tanev also brings a physical dimension that makes the Penguins harder to play against, ranking fourth in the NHL with 244 hits. He isn't afraid to block shots, racking up 202 over the past three seasons - which is fourth-most among NHL forwards. That helps make him one of Pittsburgh's best penalty killers, with Tanev finishing the regular season tied for second on the team in shorthanded time on ice.

And at even strength, Tanev's line with Teddy Blueger and Zach Aston-Reese has developed into a very important one for the team.

"They're a line that has a distinct identity for our team," Sullivan said. "They're hard to play against. They're strong defensively. They're a momentum line for us. We put them in a lot of difficult circumstances, they get a lot of defensive zone starts. I think that line has consistently been a really strong line for us."

While Aston-Reese missed the last 12 games of the year with a lower-body injury, he's now back to full health and the trio is looking to return to where they were before he was sidelined.

"I think things have been going well so far in camp," Tanev said. "It's going back out there and building that confidence and that chemistry that we left off with before (Aston-Reese) was injured in the regular season. I think he's a great player and Teddy and I are excited to have him back if that's the case."

Then off the ice, it was remarkable to watch how quickly Tanev developed into one of the glue guys in the locker room. He's become particularly close with Kris Letang, who said that Tanev is not only the funniest guy on the team, but the loudest. As Tanev's dad Mike joked, "I'm always arguing with Brandon, because Brandon is never wrong. Brandon is always right."

Tanev is one of those guys who just loves being around the boys and is always right in the thick of things, whether it's participating in the card game on the team plane or going to dinner with Letang, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin before attending an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans. That type of character has been a welcome addition to this Penguins team.

"He's a popular guy in our locker room," Sullivan said. "I think his teammates have a lot of respect for him. They really like him. He just brings a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm and he's a fun guy to be around. So from that standpoint, he's brought so much to the environment in the locker room and to our team chemistry off the ice."