Chris Tanev says people have stopped him at airport thinking he’s Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman

Originally posted on TheLeafsnation | By Alex Hobson | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 1:22 PM ET

It’s a fun time to be a Toronto sports fan at the moment. More specifically, a Toronto Blue Jays fan.

If you’re a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, there’s a good chance that you direct your attention to the Blue Jays when the season ends, and while the Jays have hit some bumps in the road just like their NHL counterpart, they’re giving their fans a treat in the summer of 2025. They currently own the best record in the AL and are chasing down the division title for the first time since 2015, hoping to capture some of the magic from the playoff run the team had that year.

Summer vacation or not, the Maple Leafs will always find a way to work themselves into news headlines, and this time, it comes in the form of an unexpected cross promotion.

Maple Leafs defenceman Chris Tanev, who was in attendance for the Blue Jays’ thrilling comeback win over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night, joined Lindsay Dunn and Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman for a chat. He told her that people have stopped him in public thinking he was Gausman.

“People have stopped me at the airport thinking I’m him”: Leafs’ Chris Tanev & Jays’ Pitcher Kevin Gausman on people saying they look alike: #BlueJays #Leafs pic.twitter.com/lAeQqmx1p8

— Lindsay Dunn (@LindsayDunnTV) August 29, 2025

“People are so excited and then they see me and they’re not as excited as if it was Gaus.” Tanev joked.

While Gausman’s never been confused for Tanev in Toronto, he says it’s not the first time he’s heard that he resembles the Maple Leafs’ defenceman.

“When we revealed the City Connects, that was the first time someone had told me that. My first thought was that it’s gotta be the hair.” Gausman added.

While the Maple Leafs and Blue Jays have both had their struggles in recent years, it’s hard to deny that there are few better vibes than the one surrounding Toronto when their sports teams are thriving. A Blue Jays playoff run timed perfectly with the return of the NHL season and Leafs hockey is music to the ears of Toronto sports fans. Gausman and the Blue Jays will look to make that a reality over the final month of the season as the Maple Leafs ramp up training camp activities in the meantime.

This article first appeared on TheLeafsnation and was syndicated with permission.

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