Sportsnet: Phaneuf: I was too emotional to talk to the media

[The_Chosen_One]

Media /fan scrutiny is crazy sometimes. Dion is far from perfect, and IMO not a #1 dman on most SC contending teams. But he's still a really solid hockey player.

Similar to a Seabrook on Chicago, a Bouwmeester on St. Louis, a Carle on TB, etc. A solid top pairing guy, but when you put him in a role where he's expected to fully carry the blueline, of course he's going to falter. That's just expecting too much out of him.

Dion is a number one, but he really does a need shut down partner like Seabrook if Carlye wants the top pairing to be punishing. Gunnarsson is more like Lidstrom and he just doesn't have the puck moving ability to play a very efficient defensive role. Lidstrom was NOT a shut down defenceman in the physical sense, but rather would intelligently take the puck out like Subban.

The only way Gunnarsson would be effective is if he had a partner that played a game more similar to him. On top of that, like in Chicago, he would need the strongest two-way forwards ( Toews, Hossa, Sharpe) in the NHL. In terms of defensive ability, all of them are elite. Realistically, we're better with a Muzzin - Doughty type of pairing ( would need Rielly to be more cerebral) or a Piets - J-Bo pairing ( more Gardiner-esque IMO). In the end, we're likely going to see Phaneuf playing the stay-at-home role ( he pretty much does), and have Gardiner/ Rielly act as the primary PMD. His puck moving ability is average and it's not going to work with a high tempo team like ours.

 

[HEAVY DUTY]

he made some boneheaded mistakes last night, but i'm glad he came forward and spoke about it today. the media would have ripped him last night if he had done the interviews.

 

[Bardown warrior]

Say if this was game number 10, i wouldnt see a problem with this...


But your team is in absolute shambles and you have to face the music as the captain of your hockey club.

 

[Mess]

Say if this was game number 10, i wouldnt see a problem with this...


But your team is in absolute shambles and you have to face the music as the captain of your hockey club.

A captain has to stand up for his team and his teammates and you can't be slipping out the back door and leave everyone else answering for your play and actions.

Phaneuf made a lot of mistakes on the ice last night that cost his team the game, but his biggest mistake might have been avoiding the media afterwards. IMO

Phaneuf made a bad situation only worse for himself by avoidance.

 

[BiggestLeafsFanEVER*]

imo it's nbd. i think the media cares more about that sort of things than anyone else. it was the same think last year when kessel didn't want to talk before the boston series.

if phaneuf always avoided the press, i'd wonder. but for last night idc.

 

[ConnorTO]

i think out of the whole locker room... the one person who takes it in the most via disappointment would prob be Dion

he's the Captain and cant really lead his team anywhere
am sure hes feeling down

 

[TieClark]

No need to throw your captain under the bus when...sorry, forgot Reimer wasn't playing. My bad.

Yeah well that's another conversation altogether

 

[Diatomic]

I'd love to remove that C and replace it with an A but its too late now. This team doesn't have a captain, its depressing because the majority of great captains in the NHL are drafted and developed by their teams, the past 20 years we've drafted and developed very few significant NHL players with the most recent being kadri, and he isn't anywhere near captain material right now.

 

[Mess]

I believe a team making its players available to the media after a game is a bylaw of the CBA.

Kessel took a lot of heat previously for avoiding the media after a game and I believe the GM stepped in and said it wouldn't happen again because of existing access rules.

 

[YearsintheWilderness]

Translation of Phaneuf's comments: "I was useless on the ice and gutless in not facing the media. However, I have a valid excuse—I couldn't handle it."

********* swallowed, exception becomes the new standard, others on the team can apparently now do it if they please.

What a load of ****ing ****! And evidence of what people have been saying all along about the blundering clown Phaneuf. Phaneuf was handed the C for only one reason—to big up the blowhard Burke and announce to the world what an incredible trade he thought he had made.

Imagine if Reimer had tried to hide after those recent losses.

Phaneuf = **** on a bull.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

Initial thought was that management told him to improve his PR

 

[Mess]

I'd love to remove that C and replace it with an A but its too late now. This team doesn't have a captain, its depressing because the majority of great captains in the NHL are drafted and developed by their teams, the past 20 years we've drafted and developed very few significant NHL players with the most recent being kadri, and he isn't anywhere near captain material right now.

Gilmour and Sundin were great Leaf captains and neither was Leaf drafted.

However they possessed the character and leadership to represent the organization and their teammates proudly.

Phaneuf avoiding the media but a black mark on himself because he wears the C and as such has greater obligations to the team and teammates than just any regular player.

 

[hockeyes]

I don't care less if he doesn't talk to the media one night. It's pathetic that this is a bigger story over the fact that they have lost 6 straight.

Carlyle should be the one getting scrutiny at this point. 70+ games and still his system can't prevent under 35 shots a game.

 

[Stats01]

Phaneuf calls into Sportsnet and discussed why he didn't talk to the media.

Source:



He goes on to talk about Randy Carlyle, the playoff race, shots on goal and more...

What are your thoughts?

My thoughts are good for him. Classy move to apologize, it's a one time thing, he's always front and center before/in between/after every single game. Anyone who thinks he's lying is out to lunch. He at least knew that it wasn't a good time to speak rather than go in front of the cameras and say something completely stupid.

 

[Stats01]

I honestly dont understand why this is like headline news everywhere.

 

[Teeder9]

I don't care less if he doesn't talk to the media one night. It's pathetic that this is a bigger story over the fact that they have lost 6 straight.

Carlyle should be the one getting scrutiny at this point. 70+ games and still his system can't prevent under 35 shots a game.

That'd be all fine and good if that was the only problem with this team

 

[Mess]

I don't care less if he doesn't talk to the media one night. It's pathetic that this is a bigger story over the fact that they have lost 6 straight.

Carlyle should be the one getting scrutiny at this point. 70+ games and still his system can't prevent under 35 shots a game.

Carlyle doesn't sneak out the back door, but steps up to the mike every post game for reporter interviews, win or lose.

Phaneuf tossed more gasoline on the fire then if he would simply have stayed and face the music.. He ignited his own controversy.

 

[ULF_55]

Perhaps this is Phaneuf's way of telling management he'd be fine if they found someone else to wear the C?

 

[Teeder9]

Perhaps this is Phaneuf's way of telling management he'd be fine if they found someone else to wear the C?

Maybe he'll tell them tomorrow

 

[Stats01]

Gilmour and Sundin were great Leaf captains and neither was Leaf drafted.

However they possessed the character and leadership to represent the organization and their teammates proudly.

Phaneuf avoiding the media but a black mark on himself because he wears the C and as such has greater obligations to the team and teammates than just any regular player.

LOL Way to put the soap opera dramatics into it...holy smokes. It's a black eye on him because he knew that it wasn't a good time to talk..I think his obligations to make sure he speaks as a professional go beyond just getting in front of a camera full of adrenaline and emotion and just saying everything thats in his mind. He could've said something that got him fined and embarrassed the team...Come on a black eye..seriously.

 

[YearsintheWilderness]

LOL Way to put the soap opera dramatics into it...holy smokes. It's a black eye on him because he knew that it wasn't a good time to talk..I think his obligations to make sure he speaks as a professional go beyond just getting in front of a camera full of adrenaline and emotion and just saying everything thats in his mind. He could've said something that got him fined and embarrassed the team...Come on a black eye..seriously.

How can anyone so easily swallow this excuse for gutlessness?

Scurrying out the back door like a gutless rat cannot be justified...

 

[Mess]

LOL Way to put the soap opera dramatics into it...holy smokes. It's a black eye on him because he knew that it wasn't a good time to talk..I think his obligations to make sure he speaks as a professional go beyond just getting in front of a camera full of adrenaline and emotion and just saying everything thats in his mind. He could've said something that got him fined and embarrassed the team...Come on a black eye..seriously.

Not my soap opera, have you caught any of the reports and TV talk host discussion on the topic? Phaneuf even called into the talk shows to give his side of the ongoing story.

So are you saying he should pick and choose his spots better when to talk to the media and perhaps more access after wins and avoidance after losses because he can't control his emotions?

I believe it was a black mark towards his leadership, as you can't believe what he did was right, or do you support what he did?

 

[ULF_55]

Not my soap opera, have you caught any of the reports and TV talk host discussion on the topic? Phaneuf even called into the talk shows to give his side of the ongoing story.

So are you saying he should pick and choose his spots better when to talk to the media and perhaps more access after wins and avoidance after losses because he can't control his emotions?

I believe it was a black mark towards his leadership, as you can't believe what he did was right, or do you support what he did?

I don't believe he is at fault because I think he's in over his head.

 

[yubbers]

Sorry but with a thread title like this it had to be done

 

[Sonofamitch]

The pressure is getting to him and it's reflecting in his play. He needs to be stripped of the C, and let me focus on actually playing hockey. Marleau has been great since being stripped of the C, maybe it can have the same affect for Dion.