(Be sure to check out Bauman’s pre-game article to get yourself ready for tonight’s match-up!)
Dion Phaneuf, as of right now, is not a Norris trophy candidate.
Phaneuf took the National Hockey League by storm in his rookie season, producing 20 goals as a 20-year-old defenseman. He then had a successful sophomore campaign, breaking the 50-point barrier. In his third year, he had a 10-point increase and produced 60 points, gaining him consideration for the Norris trophy at only 22 years old.
Since then, however, Phaneuf has regressed. If his on-pace numbers are realized, this will be his worst season in terms of points, although he will pass his career-low 11 goals of last season.
While those type of numbers would warrant a top-two spot on almost any defense corps in the league, it’s a little different in Phaneuf’s case.
For one, he has a cap-hit of $6.5 million through the 2013-14 season. Phaneuf’s cap hit makes him the seventh highest-paid defenseman in the NHL, joining a group of Nicklas Lidstrom, Zdeno Chara, Scott Neidermeyer, Brian Campbell, Jay Bouwmeester and Dan Boyle. So you know what kind of player the Calgary Flames were expecting. They wanted a Norris Trophy winner. Didn’t happen, and Phaneuf’s drop-off—not only offensively, but defensively— caused a backlash.
In a Calgary Sun article posted yesterday, Olli Jokinen said Phaneuf was not a cancer in the dressing room, despite certain rumours, and that the reason general manager Darryl Sutter traded him was because he was not accepted by the Calgary fans.
And why do you think that is?
Well, posting a 60-point season, getting nominated for the Norris trophy and then receiving a mammoth raise, only to struggle for the next 18 months, might do it.
But as a 24-year-old defenseman, is Phaneuf’s potential as a future Norris Trophy winner really in jeopardy?
As Gus pointed out in his article of Phaneuf’s regression in context, the rearguard played through a number of injuries while logging considerable ice-time in the 2008-09 season. Then, the addition of Bouwmeester to the Flames’ blueline cut Phaneuf’s ice-time by just over three minutes per game this season.
Also, consider that Phaneuf averaged 5:34 powerplay time-on-ice per game in 2008-09. This season, he averaged 3:46 per game with the Flames. That sort of ice-time would compare him with the likes of Micheal Del Zotto (3:53), Marek Zidlicky (3:48), Alex Goligoski (3:46), Scott Neidermeyer (3:42) and Kyle Quincey (3:41). Aside from Neidermeyer, who is 36 years old, that is not a group of elite offensive defensemen. Still, Phaneuf is ranked 7th in the NHL for PP goals in defensemen. With the Leafs, he will now log considerable ice-time with Tomas Kaberle on the PP for the remaining 25 games. Also, if Kaberle is shipped this summer, expect Phaneuf to be the Leafs’ go-to guy on the blueline.
But the point of all this is not to convince you that Phaneuf will one day win the Norris trophy with the Leafs. In fact, it’s that sort of thinking that could lead to his demise in Toronto.
While there are various reasons that could have led to Phaneuf’s downfall in Calgary, the criticism he received from Flames fans for not performing at an elite level surely did not help. Did they have reason? Sure, especially considering his salary.
But, it’s an entirely new chapter for Phaneuf in Toronto. A fresh start. A clean slate. Whatever the hell you want to say.
The point is that Leafs fans cannot regard Phaneuf as one of the league’s best defenseman. Not yet. This fan base is notorious for unrealistic expectations from their players, and it often leads to disappointment because any mistake that player makes is magnified, when it really needs to be put in context. The last thing we need is another defenseman who’s gripping the stick a little too tight and not playing his game.
If you think about it, Phaneuf, like the Leafs, is taking baby steps towards regaining his form. It would be detrimental to this team’s long-term vitality to expect instant results from a player who is 24 years old.
In time, those expectations will be warranted, but for now, patience is our best friend.
You stay classy, MLHS.
ronguillet@mapleleafshotstove.com
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February 5th, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Here is an article about BB’s son…
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/
February 5th, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Poor Burkie…all the best
February 5th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
thoughts and prayers out to the Burke family
February 5th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
No wonder RW didn’t want to talk to the press.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Puts things in persepctive..one loss on the ice and we’re back at it tomorrow going for the win. A loss of human life is incomprehensible..
Thoughts and prayers go out to the Burke family.
RIP Brendan
February 5th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
@ zoonpolitikon:
He played with good players? like heatley and hossa I assume your talking about? could it be that hossa and heatley are the one’s who can’t produce? Heatley’s vanishing act when the sens went to the finals and hossa’s vanishing act when pittsburgh lost to detriot and then nowhere to be found when pittsburgh beat the wings the following year. Kovalchuck has been a one man show playing for a shit franchise, banished to atlanta, he stayed while all the other guys fled. The guy turned down gross money, he clearly wants to play on a team who will be a cup contender, next year it all comes down to who can fit him into their cap and whether or not they will be a team who will see the post season. If the leafs were to get him, he would make an instant impact, he’s a horse when it comes to minutes, he demands huge respect which will free up ice for kessel and bozack and kadri in effect making all the mentioned players that much better. Our blue line and goalie can’t win games 1-0 every night, we need goal scoring and this guy is the best player available and he’s 26 which means he’ll be an animal for at least the next 6 years.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Just came here to comment about the game–things like this put a hockey game into its proper perspective…here we are all getting worked up over a couple of pucks in a net. Sincere condolences to Burke and family.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke’s youngest son Brendan passed away on Friday. The team released the following statement:
“We are saddened to report that Brendan Burke, the youngest son of Leafs President and General Manager Brian Burke, succumbed to injuries he suffered in an auto accident earlier today in Indiana. The family asks for privacy at this difficult time.”
February 5th, 2010 at 10:18 pm
How about no more posts tonight. Kind of like a moment of silence. Goodnight everyone.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
@ The Captain:
Agreed out of respect bye all
February 5th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
We’re all thinking about you Burkie. Take care of your family, which always comes first.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
guys, honestly not to sound like a dick, my deepest sympathies go out to the burke family but personal family stuff should be kept separate from public knowledge. If anything, those fucking shit leaf players should wake the fuck up and realize how lucky they are to be doing something they love to do and making a great living doing so because it can end in a heart beat
February 5th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
@ Flavor:
Yeah, I know…but you can’t say Heatley and Hossa aren’t good players, although I will agree, they are both better playing on a team surrounded by good players. And yes, players like Kovalchuk don’t come around too often, but I think it is premature to bank on him as a franchise player…wasn’t he Atlanta’s franchise player? Good, fuckin right–better than anybody the Leafs have at the moment. But investing over $100 million on one player not named Crosby or Ovechkin is a joke. Plus, I vividly remember hearing him say he doesn’t want to play in a big market. Kovalchuk will continue to rip up the score sheet and simultaneously end up in the negative side of the ledger. If you are going to dish out that kind of money, and term to a player like that, he better be the second coming of Jesus-fucking-Christ if he made babies with Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky…
February 5th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Breakdown of last three goals; The backhander high glove on Gustavsson is a real tough one for goalies because first of all backhand shots are really hard to read where the shot will go, and second of all the shot was in the area between his glove and shoulder, any goalie will say those are hard to get. The powerplay goal was tough because of the cross ice pass, and it was also a boomer of a shot which Goose almost had, the far side forward has to take that pass away clear and simple. The last goal, all his confidence is already blown right out, with the perfect low hard shot far side is hard to handle, that shot will almost always lead to a rebound off the pillows unless the goalie gets his stick on it to deflect the puck into the corner. Gustavsson does have a lot of work cut out for him to make his lateral movement while staying square and tall in his butterfly. However, he shouldn’t be thrown to the curb because of this game, not a chance, he will develop and become a very good tendy for this franchise!
February 5th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
@ Bphilly1:
I’m not a goalie but have played enough hockey to know that a low, hard shot is almost impossible to control, the defenseman are supposed to be there to clear the rebound, good synopsis.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
zoonpolitikon wrote:
Worst part, if he don’t kick out the leg, it goes wide, maybe we win
but it was too close not to react
February 5th, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Jordan wrote:
I’m disappointed too but I don’t think he’s back to square 1. Just seems like a worse than his usual performance. He’ll bounce back. Sometimes a small adjustment can really improve a goalie’s game or turn it back a few notches. Hopefully Gus and Allaire will find a solution that works…
February 5th, 2010 at 11:04 pm
@ o2baleaf:
Oh, I didn’t notice it would have went wide, but you’re right when you say it was too close to not react, i believe most goalies would have done the same.
February 6th, 2010 at 8:26 am
You can’t totally blame Gustavsson for the meltdfown last night.
On the other hand, he is making thre exact same mistakes he made early in the season… HUGE (the biggest fattiest juiciest) rebounds and he is out of position. Sorry, but on that last goal he kicked the puck out 15′ to the guy, and left a gaping net while doing so. It was HO|RRIBLE goaltending. The kind the Leafs have had pretty much all year.
February 6th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Doc_yqx wrote:
I completely agree here Doc… Even the announcers said something about him being slow to get up. And then he looked lost on the next few plays and slow moving compared to the rest of the night. Oh I would really like to see the video again of the Beau trip… pretty sure Gus tripped him because he was skating through the crease. They were doing it all night once they got clipped and they got a PP and once they clipped the goalie. Gus looked shaken on all those goals.
The difference between fans and PROFESSIONAL players = the players just say they played 57 mins and not 60. I wonder where was the communication to the bench if he was rattled (which it looked like he was)
PS who calls a Time out with 44 secs remaining. No coach thinks that a goal will be scored in that time. They are thinking about what they are going to say between the 3rd and the OT
February 6th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Flavor wrote:
I find it funny that you say he turned down huge money because he wants to go to a contender, then in the same sentence mention that the Leafs “might” get him. That’s some pretty flawed logic there, champ.
February 6th, 2010 at 10:14 am
fap turbo scam…
Und ein Ende ist bisher nicht in Sicht, denn auch ihr drittes Album “Gute Reise” wird ganz sicher ein Kassenschlager….
February 6th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Gustavsson will let in 4 goals a game. Whether that’s spread out over the course of a game or all in the last 3 minutes. When was the last time he let in less than 3 or 4?
I know he’s still learning, but that meltdown in the 3rd could be seen a mile away.
February 6th, 2010 at 11:12 am
That was the most disappointing loss of the year for me….3 goal in 3 minutes to lose. Man, what an inconsistent team. I don’t just blame Gus. All members of the team are responsible. That was a 3 minute breakdown where everyone looked totally lost out there. Almost like they expected to lose. They need leadership. That should be our biggest off-season goal.
February 6th, 2010 at 11:28 am
Yea but still 2 of those goals that came in the third Gus should have stopped. His fault, hopefully he learned from it and we all move on to tonight
February 6th, 2010 at 11:36 am
Julie Sucks wrote:
but wait, wasn’t our leadership issue addressed with the trade for Dion???? Future captain???? (In case you can’t tell, I’m being sarcastic).
Defense shit the bed last night. It wasn’t Gustavsson’s fault, it was a team meltdown.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Complete lack of dominant forwards will do this to you. Though they (our guys) capitalized when they could, the Devils spent most of their time in our own end. That’s no way to maintain a lead. Hopefully it’s an issue that would be addressed soon.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
For 57 mins the Leafs played a great road game. With the second youngest team in the NHL. Last night was still a great game for this organization and a way better dislay than anything we have witnessed most of this season. Yep the game was lost. I don’t give a shit. I can see with me own eyes a way better product with a way better future.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
honesthockey wrote:
I 100% agree the future looks a LOT better than it did just a week ago.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
I saw some nice plays by the D in the dying minutes of the game. You are gonna have to weather a storm no matter what when defending a lead and part of the weathering is strong goal tending.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
“Victim of Expectations”
Haha! I don’t think we need to worry about Dion just yet. Gustavsson comes first!
February 6th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
rustynail wrote:
.
We all agree. But from a team that gave 100%, for the most part, the weaknesess are all too obvious. We’re missing a power forward or two, and true first, second line centers. Maybe Grabo can get it together for the second line, but all others we need to trade for.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
TuckerThomas wrote:
.
Our defense is coming together nicely, but there’s only two of them on the ice at a time.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Blue Max wrote:
I meant our D as in team defense. lol
February 6th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
TuckerThomas wrote:
Hah, well said. He is a work in progress after all and will definitely struggle from time to time.
February 6th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
It’s fine and dandy to support our players and understand they are gonna have bad nights, cause they are. But if we as fans become complacent, as many seem to be (cause many get offended by the criticism of our players) then what’s the point of a site like this? We need to speak the truth about our players performances. Gus blew it last knight and that’s why we lost. He knows it and that’s what’s important. I like his attitude. Way better than Vesa’s.
February 6th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
I would say that 95% of our problems with this team have revolved around goal tending. That’s not a stretch either. It seems like our netminders are losing games for us. Sure we’ve made some bad mistakes as well but when every single mistake ends up in the net then that’s a goal tending problem. We all keep talking about our needs up front but it seems like we play a strong O most nights no matter who’s in the line up. But jeepers creepers we need to be able to stop some pucks. Thankfully JSG will show how it’s done again tonight.
February 6th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
TuckerThomas wrote:
February 6th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
RED WINGS TRADE LEINO TO FLYERS FOR TOLLEFSEN http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=309159
not a big deal I have never seen either play, Leino was pretty highly touted, but he’s 26 and apparently not playing well at all.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
@ TuckerThomas:
Yea, that’s true. Wilson’s strength in Toronto so far has been getting the most out of his lacklustre forward crew. That said, I think Toronto fans also forget, that even the Richards, Carters, Getzlafs, and so forth, of the NHL, they all went through a learning curve. None of them just walked in and were stars. Yet we expect that if our players can’t become stars immediately, we should trade them, in packages, for established stars.
In my opinion, Burke will trade Kaberle in the summer for a young forward (ie. Bobby Ryan), and package our 2nd next year, and the rights to prospects like Hayes and/or Stefanovich, for an upgrade at center ice. He says as much in his interview posted on TSN.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Oh, I meant to include Grabovski in that package, as he would be the guy we are “upgrading”.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Blue Max wrote:
My point was the New Jersey Devils are a team now that should take a serious run at the Cup. They not only just landed a premiere sniper but should have been running on adrenalin from it. The second youngest team in the league dealt with it for most of the night. I give full credit to them. I am way more of a Leaf fan this week than I was before last week.
I agree with you on a power forward but as far as center goes I think it is a position of depth. It is young un-proven depth but players like Bozak who’s played only 13 NHL games has looked more creative than any center this year, Kadri will be a great NHLer and Grabovski has been missed regardless what is said. Didomenico, Champagne are also young up and comers. Would a bonafide superstar centerman help? Yep. But not at the expense of the good young guys.
February 6th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
@ honesthockey:
I’d still prefer someone better than Grabovski headlining our team – or at least someone more likeable. What do you think of this trade, in summer, if the Sharks have cap issues:
To San Jose: Peter Mueller, 2nd in 2011 (TOR), rights to Jimmy Hayes
To Phoenix: Mikhail Grabovski
To Toronto: Joe Pavelski
Dreger says the Yotes want a young roster forward for Mueller. Grabovski would fit right in with their other Euro talent (Hanzal, Boedker, Tikhonov, Michalek, Lang, Prucha, Vrbata, etc…). Keeping Mueller into the summer could force the Yotes to match an offer sheet that would probably be the maximum compensation for a 2nd rounder. That would be extremely pricey for a player that has underperformed and isn’t happy. The Sharks on the other hand, take the rights to Mueller, and presumably, are able to resign him much cheaper than Pavelski (say 1.25 vs. ~4 million dollars), while also starting to replenish some of the picks and prospects they’ve lost over the last couple years. Toronto gets the best, but most expensive, player.
February 6th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Can Mueller play wing? If so, and Pavelski is unavailable, what do you think about a straight up Grabo for Mueller swap?
I like Grabo quite a lot, but unless he learns how to play wing, my guess is that he would be the odd center out going into next season from BB’s point of view.
February 6th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
He can play wing fine. He was drafted as a winger. I don’t know why they don’t have him there. In that interview on TSN, he practically spelled out that he’s trading Grabovski.
Paraphrased: “we’re going to want to move Bozak down to the 2nd center position, and look for an upgrade at first line center.” And then, when asked about who he would go after, perhaps a big body like Getzlaf or Staal, he said that size wasn’t as important to him as character. He could be talking about Mueller, who isn’t exactly a tank, but if we can get Mueller for Grabovski (which I think we can, given the circumstances), then I would want to look to upgrade that even.
Maybe we try and do a Grabovski/Mueller swap at the deadline, hope he raises his value in the last 20 games alongside Kessel, and then either earns himself a new contract, or becomes valuable enough to package for a better center (ie. Pavelski).
That’s actually probably more likely, since Grabovski’s value would be greater at the deadline, when he could actually help with a playoff run. He would be an upgrade over Mueller in the short term. Stranger things have happened (ie. Upshall + 2nd for Carcillo).
February 6th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
this is from Dregers Twitter
Interest picking up in Ponikarovsky…as many as 10 teams inquiring. Likely March 3rd trade. At least 2nd rounder in return.
February 6th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
@Cameron
Not sure what you mean more likeable. As a player or as a person who I’m sure you don’t well enough to make that call.
There is a different atmosphere on this team right now. Schenn mentioned the better dressing room. Watch what happens with Grabovski’s game now before we make any hasty decisions. My bet is we see an even better Grabovski.
February 7th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Jonez wrote:
Shit, you’re crusty Jonez. Have you ever said anything positive on this site?
February 7th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Cameron wrote:
.
It would one-on-one. Poni, or Grabo for Mueller. Not convinced it’s the best thing to do, but one or the other is going for him.
February 27th, 2010 at 12:48 am
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