Friar Q&A: Catching Up With Brandon Tanev '16

Friars.com caught up with Brandon Tanev '16 recently to see how he's handling the NHL pause and to reflect back on his time at Providence College.

With the NHL on pause right now, can you give us some updates on how you are spending your time lately and any creative things you are doing to stay in game shape?

It's obviously a difficult time with everything that's happening and with the season on pause right now, the most important thing is everyone's health and well-being. Hopefully everyone is safe and healthy during this. Personally, trying different ways to stay in shape whether that's going for long runs which I'm typically not used to doing. It's good to switch things up a little get some fresh air. Also, I've been rollerblading a lot, probably the closest thing to skating. I've been cooking and baking quite a bit. Great way to take your mind off things, enjoy a glass of wine, some good music, and try and work on your culinary skills, maybe the things you aren't used to cooking, challenging myself.

Do you still keep in contact with any of your Friar teammates?

Absolutely. Our class is extremely close, and constantly texting one another on a daily basis with our group chat. Every year we've been doing a boys trip if you want to call it that. Choose a different city or destination and there's about 15-20 of us that played together and the group's growing every year. It's great to always see the guys you aren't able to see in person, makes things special.

After Providence, you spent three seasons in Winnipeg before joining the Penguins this past summer. How has your game grown over the past four seasons at the NHL level?

I think as a player you want to get better every year as a player. That has been my goal even when I was back at Providence. But now in the NHL I think it's your job to understand what makes you great as a player and consistently bring that every night. I think every year you grow as a player because you're more comfortable with the game and level you're playing at. Personally, I think my confidence has grown as player to play the game my team and I want to play game in and game out.

You signed with the Penguins on the first day of free agency last July, can you talk about what the free agency experience was like for you and what ultimately convinced you that Pittsburgh was the best fit?

The free agency period was a very cool and unique process to go through. You're able to reach out and have conversations with organizations, head coaches and general managers. This situation allows you to listen, and hear the path they have for you and most importantly, the goals for the organization. I felt my conversation with Mike Sullivan [Penguins Head Coach] and Jim Rutherford [Penguins GM] was great in the sense that we both wanted the same thing. It felt like the right fit, for me personally as a player and going to a city where there is a great love for sports made the decision easy.

What's been your most memorable moment in the NHL thus far?

My most memorable moment in the NHL was probably a couple rather than one. Obviously, my first NHL goal was extremely special. Another moment was the first game my brother and I played against each other. Our family was able to fly out to Vancouver just before Christmas where we had two games against one another over a four-day period. During the course of the season it's tough to see family so that moment was special because our parents had done so much for us throughout our lives. For them to be there, made the game an extremely proud moment for our family.

Do you still follow the Friars?

Yes, I still follow the Friars and definitely brag and chirp guys on teams and friends on other teams when the Friars beat their respective collegiate programs. I think it's great to see the current team continuing the tradition of being a powerhouse program. We're not a very large school, but athletics continue to grow and it's great to see the success not just men's hockey is having, but all teams at Providence.

It's been five years since the national championship, can you reflect on how it felt being on that run and how you scored one of the most important goals in program history?

At the collegiate level, the national championship is the ultimate goal. Being the first team to ever win a national championship for men's hockey at Providence makes everything even more special. To provide that for the city, school, and fans was amazing. It was great to have had such an impact with scoring an important goal, but I think the moment of all us working so hard and coming together to provide such an important and great moment for the school means everything.

Can you describe what it's like to play against some of your former teammates and is there a little extra chirping going on when you face-off against those guys?

It's great to see former teammates in which I've played against such as Roons, Noelly, Janks, Gillies, Schalls, and Gilms have great success at the next level. They're such great friends and to see them doing well and succeeding is great. It's always nice to catch up and have dinner the night before the game or after. It's even better when you get to skate by the bench, chirp one of them and see them laugh or smirk.

After the national championship, it's almost forgotten how loaded the team was your senior season and the hot start in the first half where the team didn't lose a game. Despite the disappointing ending, can you reflect on your final year in Friartown and what it meant to be a leader on that team?

After we won and coming back for our senior season, our class especially felt and knew another national championship is the only goal. Our season was incredible, obviously not winning made things more difficult, but how were treated each day, practice, game made everything more special. Your senior year is the culmination of everything you've experienced and the memories you were able to make with your best friends. Seeing how close we are today, I think our memories and experiences at PC mean that much more because that's where it all started for us.

Anything you would like to say to the Friar fans and any final thoughts overall on your four years in Providence?

To the Friar fans out there, continue to support and be a part of such a storied program. We are in all in this together and without your help the program wouldn't be where it is today! Lastly, my four years at PC were some of my best years. The friendships and memories that were made will last a lifetime. Most importantly, I'm thankful for the opportunity to become a FRIAR!

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus Vermont on February 7, 2026 , Win , 6, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus Northeastern on February 13, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 4

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus Northeastern on February 14, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey at Vermont on February 20, 2026 , Win , 5, to, 2

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey at Vermont on February 21, 2026 , Win , 5, to, 3

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus New Hampshire on February 27, 2026 , Loss , 0, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey at New Hampshire on February 28, 2026 , Win , 3, to, 2

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus #14/15 UConn on March 7, 2026 , Win , 3, to, 1

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus Merrimack on March 14, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 3 , (OT)

Completed Event: Men's Ice Hockey versus Quinnipiac on March 26, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 5

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