I don't know, to me Dion Phaneuf just doesn't seem like a Red Wings type of player. His personality and attitude sucks, quite frankly. He's a bit of a prima dona who hasn't done anything in his career. Go watch his defense against the Capitals tonight on their third goal. I just don't think he's that good outside of his shot from the point.
It's definitely a risk. I think the Wings like the idea because they think they have an overwhelmingly strong locker room that can keep him under control, and they have probably the strongest/most domineering (whichever way you see it...) coach in the game. On top of that, we know how the Ilitch family treats their stars. So I think the idea is: if Phaneuf can't play nice in Detroit, he can't play nice anywhere in the league. Which is both good and bad. If, despite all that stuff, it still manages to go wrong... where do you go from there? Who's going to take Phaneuf off of Detroit's hands?
But on the other hand, Phaneuf would pretty much be going from the fire back into the pan, perhaps even all the way back into the damn freezer, metaphorically speaking. It would likely be a great relief for him to come here, and it might make him more relaxed. Detroit's friendly press versus the polemical shootout that is a Torontonian media scrum... yeah. and probably no captaincy, which might feel nice. He can just play.
