Is Dion Phaneuf the single most over-rated prospect in the world right now? Yup, he certainly is, only remotely contested by Zach Parise.
But does that mean he's destined to be a dirty player who does nothing in the NHL but get beat up? Certainly not, db23.
It drives me mental how much Flames fans hype this guy up to be the next Scott Stevens, or Chris Pronger, or whichever ludicrous comparison is the flavour of the week with Phaneuf.
However, most of them, other than the extremists, are right in this debate. I'm not certain where you're getting your information, db23, but for somebody who relies on statistics so much, maybe you should go back and watch each and every one of those fights, tally up the numbers, and then analyze them like you love to do so much. Every single legitimate and respectable publication that I have seen has indicated that Phaneuf is both a fearsome hitter AND fighter. Nobody is saying he's going to beat up Peter Worrell, but I have seen absolutely NOTHING in legitimate publications to indicate that Phaneuf is the WHL punching bag like you seem set out to make him seem like.
You try to compare him to Barrett Jackman and Anton Volchenkov? I think the Jackman comparison is very good actually, but your analysis of Jackman is way off. Since when does Jackman go out of his way to hurt people? Do you even watch hockey or just read the box scores? In his rookie season Jackman fought TEN times. Ten. That is a LOT of fights for a defenceman that was being relied on to play big minutes as a ROOKIE. He wasn't taking anybody to the cleaners really, but he held his own from my understanding in all of those fights. Here's a quotation from one of his fights:
"Comments: Starts off with a scrum involving just about everyone on the ice, and Jackman and Grand-Pierre hook up and start to go. Couple quick rights by Jackman, couple by Grand-Pierre and then - POP - one to the right cheek by Jackman and that one stung. Grand-Pierre grimaces and turns his head away trying to shake off the sting. Jackman then calls in the linesmen as he realizes GP is done. Other Penalties: Scott Mellanby and Tyler Wright each received a double roughing. "
Furthermore, unlike what you said, Jackman has not spent MORE than half his time in the NHL at the infirmary. In fact, he played ALL 82 games in his rookie season, then had a shoulder injury (which he tried to come back early from mistakenly), which made him miss 67 games this season I believe. 98 is more than half of 164.
And what's with these accusations about Phaneuf "going after" smaller players? I'm not certain if you've paid much attention to the NHL, but the REASON small players typically aren't successful in teh NHL is because they get manhandled by defencemen. What is Phaneuf supposed to do if a small guy skates across the blueline? Let him go past and score? I have seen NOTHING to indicate that Phaneuf "targets" or "goes after" only small players. Phaneuf hits anyone that comes in to his zone, hits them hard, and hits them clean. The hit on Olesz was ENTIRELY a clean check by NHL standards. 100%. He CERTAINLY did NOT 'run' at Olesz. Rusty clearly skated across the blueline head down, Phaneuf stopped skating backwards, two one and a half strides, and Phaneuf popped him. What do you expect of a defenceman? To let a guy walk into the zone, head down, stick handle for a bit, then take a shot? What exactly is the job of a defenceman? To hand him a cup of tea as he enters the zone? I don't get it.
And your lovely comparisons to other defenceman. Gauthier (you are right, Gauthier was super hyped yes, but just because one guy doesn't live up to expectations doesn't mean EVERY prospect won't), Volchenkov (that whole thing just didn't make any sense so I'm not going to waste anybody's time by going over that), etc. There are DOZENS, maybe even hundreds, of very physical defenceman who don't get hurt often. Furthermore, guys that you picked who basically have had one, maybe two, injury ridden seasons. And by injury ridden seasons you basically mean sustained one bad injury. Just because you're physical doesn't mean you have to goon it up. Rob Blake is a one of the best hitters in the NHL and has ten fights over the past six years. Chris Pronger .... 10 fights in five/.