Defenseman Chris Tanev, 21, has been sent to the Canucks' AHL farm club Chicago Wolves to make room on the NHL team's 23-man roster for the returning Ryan Kesler. Tanev is on the second year of a three-year entry level contract and doesn't require waivers, so this was a risk-free decision by the Canucks. A free-agent signing in the spring of 2010, Tanev was recalled last January when injuries struck the Canucks defence and he quickly impressed folks with intelligent play. Tanev was so solid that he found himself in the Stanley Cup final when blue line depth was again challenged. But numbers and the improved play of Keith Ballard have worked against him early on. Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said going to the Wolves would allow Tanev to get more consistent ice-time. "In Chris' case, we wanted the young man to play," said Vigneault. "We thought that so far this year he'd done well but he was fighting for one of those No. 5 to No. 8 spots on our team. As young as he is, with the up-side he has, we wanted him to play (a lot)."