"Dion Phaneuf is a legit #1, easily top 20 in the league"
I have can agree that he for periods have looked ok some times even good. But he is just to slow both on his feet and mind to be an effective top player who can play 23+ minutes per night on a succesful team. To many questionable decisions, missed markings and sloppy passes to be considered a #1. And to pay some one like that $7m a year means you will have to pay the guy who is a #1 on your team even more. Some people just dont realize that or are just figuing it out.
Yeah, I can see you don't watch any games and just rely on other people's opinions. Moving on
Being objective isn't about being purely critical. It's funny how you just went on a rant about that blind faith and such, yet you spout out the same old tired nonsense which Phaneuf has constantly disproven time and time again. Maybe you just don't realize this, and in time, you'll figure it out.