TSN: Two years after Phaneuf trade, Leafs content to keep growing without a captain

[Stephen]

worst captain since Rob Ramage, **** this over paid pylon.

Weird thing about Phaneuf is his entire career is staked on his first few years in the league when he was a hitting machine who piled on the points on the power play and had a blast of a slap shot where he developed a superstar reputation. But when you look at his entire body of work, he's been an overrated, overpaid and probably below average top four defenseman who usually finds himself on a losing team.

 

[Peiskos]

I don't know if anyone listens to Joe Bowen's calls to the games on the radio but he's started to refer to Matthews as "The Future Captain" when he scores goals sometimes. Lol classic Joe.

 

[Sniper99]

I can see Marleau getting an A full time next season.

no argument there, that'd be a great pick for an A.

 

[96]

Definitely. I wonder who the other A(s) might go to if Bozak and/or Komarov don't return?

Rielly + Kadri/Marleau

 

[LeafFever]

So thankful Ottawa took that full cap hit.

 

[TeamBester]

I don't know if anyone listens to Joe Bowen's calls to the games on the radio but he's started to refer to Matthews as "The Future Captain" when he scores goals sometimes. Lol classic Joe.

The C will be his when he signs a new 8 year deal.

 

[willyjones]

Not sure if this has been stated, but look at a player like hainsey has done for our d. Dion should have been able to be that steady force that can play anywhere in the lineup like hainsey is.. Makes me think Dion was and is very overrated. I always thought he took to much slack, but seeing what Hainsey has done for this team in such a short time I am glad he is gone. When I watch Dion now he looks like a bottom pairing guy a good 5-6 guy, but gets paid like a top pairing guy.

 

[deletethis]

Considering the concocted criticism that the media and fans create surrounding every Toronto Maple Leafs' captain, I hope the team maintains this no captain policy permanently. Maybe they could reserve this as an end of career honour. I'd rather have to ignore complaining about the lack of a captain than whatever perceived deficiency the current captain has.

 

[TMLegend]

Weird thing about Phaneuf is his entire career is staked on his first few years in the league when he was a hitting machine who piled on the points on the power play and had a blast of a slap shot where he developed a superstar reputation. But when you look at his entire body of work, he's been an overrated, overpaid and probably below average top four defenseman who usually finds himself on a losing team.

Phaneuf suffered an hip injury sometime during the 2008-2009 season that caused the decline in his play from his early years in the league. Phaneuf was a budding superstar defensemen up until that point, finishing 2nd in norris voting in 2008. Mobile, dynamic, with a great point shot and a mean streak.

All that being said, Phaneuf did whatever was asked of him on and off the ice and was a class act his entire tenure here despite being under perhaps the most scrutiny on the club, which is more than I can say for a particular malcontent that was here during that time who often wore an A on his sweater.

Lack of team success will paint him in a negative light. Overall though, I always felt Phaneuf was a solid captain.

 

[-DeMo-]

Wouldn't have Matthews, Andersen or Kapanen if he didn't go.

I think we won.

I don't know why people say this when it comes to Kessel, we finished with less points the year before Kessel left then the year we drafted Matthews. so it's entirely possible we could have finished last with Kessel

 

[Tak7]

Phaneuf suffered an hip injury sometime during the 2008-2009 season that caused the decline in his play from his early years in the league. Phaneuf was a budding superstar defensemen up until that point, finishing 2nd in norris voting in 2008. Mobile, dynamic, with a great point shot and a mean streak.

All that being said, Phaneuf did whatever was asked of him on and off the ice and was a class act his entire tenure here despite being under perhaps the most scrutiny on the club, which is more than I can say for a particular malcontent that was here during that time who often wore an A on his sweater.

Lack of team success will paint him in a negative light. Overall though, I always felt Phaneuf was a solid captain.

I don't think he was a solid captain - he wasn't someone who shouldered responsibility, or took the brunt of the media criticism when, say, the goalies or Kessel were in a sh*tstorm.

That's what really irked me - his handling of the media while he was C. I'm genuinely curious however, as to how he would have performed as C under this current regime however - Babcock / Lou / Shanahan definitely seem to have some sort of media training going on with these guys. The type of training that clearly Dion never got.

Finally - Dion is a cautionary tale; this market doesn't need a captain, until the captain is ready to emerge.

 

[Buds17]

I don't know why people say this when it comes to Kessel, we finished with less points the year before Kessel left then the year we drafted Matthews. so it's entirely possible we could have finished last with Kessel

It's about the standings though, and the number of points that equal last place varies. We might've done better in terms of points in comparison, but we finished last in the league in the Matthews draft year and not the other season in question. One gets your team the best odds of drafting first overall, the other doesn't. It's entirely possible, but the last place finish went down to the wire as is. We might have just wanted to turn a couple of old regime pages too, in any case.

 

[613Leafer]

Glad we were able to move his caphit, but what a waste of an asset. Nonis substantially hampered this team with the Phaneuf, Kessel, and Lupul extensions, plus the Clarkson signing.

Should have sold Phaneuf, Kessel, and Lupul off after 2012, when they were all pending UFAs with good value, and we had been a bottom 10 team in the league for 5+ years at that point.

 

[Ratboy]

I don't know why people say this when it comes to Kessel, we finished with less points the year before Kessel left then the year we drafted Matthews. so it's entirely possible we could have finished last with Kessel

Nah I don't see it imo. We had Komarov on our first line that tank season. He scored 19 but still.. I think Kessel would've kept us out of the top pick.. which has obviously been a game changer for us.

 

[Stephen]

Phaneuf suffered an hip injury sometime during the 2008-2009 season that caused the decline in his play from his early years in the league. Phaneuf was a budding superstar defensemen up until that point, finishing 2nd in norris voting in 2008. Mobile, dynamic, with a great point shot and a mean streak.

All that being said, Phaneuf did whatever was asked of him on and off the ice and was a class act his entire tenure here despite being under perhaps the most scrutiny on the club, which is more than I can say for a particular malcontent that was here during that time who often wore an A on his sweater.

Lack of team success will paint him in a negative light. Overall though, I always felt Phaneuf was a solid captain.

I don't know if his superstardom was derailed by that hip injury as implied, but he seems like a guy who didn't quite take his craft or his responsibilities as seriously as he could have and wasn't fit for the job.

It's not like he was this Patrice Bergeron personality who did everything right, quietly, with grace, humility, intelligence and inspired stability. He seemed like a guy who was ill prepared to be captain, was a little tone deaf and crumpled under pressure.

Over the years Phaneuf has been so overrated and then underrated I don't know where to slot him at all in relation to other NHLers. Would you say he was at a Ryan McDonagh level in his time here? Dan Girardi? Something in between? Worse? Hard to figure it out with all the spectacular losing he was a part of here.

 

[King Mapes]

I remember my buddy, who is a Sens fan living in Calgary, text me when we got Dion. "Lol enjoy that overpaid pylon I've watched here for years"

Then when Sens got him he text me "You guys traded him for that? Haha Leafs never change! So stoked right now!"

Good times.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I remember my buddy, who is a Sens fan living in Calgary, text me when we got Dion. "Lol enjoy that overpaid pylon I've watched here for years"

Then when Sens got him he text me "You guys traded him for that? Haha Leafs never change! So stoked right now!"

Good times.

I hope you screen shotted both of those.

 

[Orfieus]

Why does Matthews have to be the captain, a captain is not someone who has the most points

A captain is someone who leads the team, a person to stand up during the bad times and to be quiet during the good.

Does that sound like Matthews? Does that sound like anyone on the team?

 

[member 147413]

The C will be his when he signs a new 8 year deal.

Love the idea, I don’t think he’s there yet, but if he shows ‘more’ in tougher moments, then I’ll be sold.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Future
C - Matthews
A - Rielly
A - Brown

 

[King Mapes]

I hope you screen shotted both of those.

Sadly, I did not.

 

[Sweet Leaf]

All that being said, Phaneuf did whatever was asked of him on and off the ice and was a class act his entire tenure here despite being under perhaps the most scrutiny on the club, which is more than I can say for a particular malcontent that was here during that time who often wore an A on his sweater.

Lack of team success will paint him in a negative light. Overall though, I always felt Phaneuf was a solid captain.

This is a re-write of history. Phaneuf was a disaster as a captain. Terrible with the media. Part of a core group that would have melt down after melt down. Turned tail on ice when challenged by opposing players. He never took any accountability. And he was the captain during salute gate. Waffles...etc...

I could go on...

I will say this though. Brian Burke deserves much more blame than Dion. Dion was never cut out to be captain and it was yet another disastrous Burke decision that put him in the position of being turned into a reviled public pinata. In many ways, I often felt sorry for Dion.

 

[diceman934]

Would we have traded Phaneuf if he was a RHD, was making $5mil a year, and not erroneously anointed Captain?

Yes as his play on the ice was average at best it was off the ice that his biggest issue hurt the team. He is a poor team mate.

 

[Brock Radunske]

Definitely. I wonder who the other A(s) might go to if Bozak and/or Komarov don't return?

I'd say Rielly and Kadri

 

[Stephen]

This is a re-write of history. Phaneuf was a disaster as a captain. Terrible with the media. Part of a core group that would have melt down after melt down. Turned tail on ice when challenged by opposing players. He never took any accountability. And he was the captain during salute gate. Waffles...etc...

I could go on...

I will say this though. Brian Burke deserves much more blame than Dion. Dion was never cut out to be captain and it was yet another disastrous Burke decision that put him in the position of being turned into a reviled public pinata. In many ways, I often felt sorry for Dion.

Bad with the media, as in monotone and full of cliches. Didn't come across as thoughtful, intelligent or particularly inspiring as a captain. Didn't seem particularly bothered with shouldering any of the accountability that comes with being a captain.

"Led" an immature core group that couldn't control the emotional roller coaster of a season, particularly as a borderline playoff team with skill but a lack of that veteran blue collar cohesion to keep things on track. Basically ended every year as a trainwreck.

On the ice, I don't even know where to comment. He was a shadow of his younger self from an offensive point of view, so let's just say he was not that productive and not really a specialty teams weapon. Mobility was average. Defensive game probably looked worse due to his circumstances as lead dog on a horrible defensive team, but where would you slot him in on a winner? Would he have been a Jake Muzzin on the LA Kings, a Francois Beauchemin on the Ducks, or a Dan Girardi on the New York Rangers. Jack Johnson on the Blue Jackets?
More likely he was where he was supposed to be. Overpaid, top pairing defenseman "doing his best" on a non playoff team getting overpaid in the process.