This. People hating on phaneuf are clueless.
- clark_griswold

Bill Watters is a senile old man. He thinks Dion is worthless and the Leafs should just hand him over to anyone and they're better without him. He's such a moron.,

True, but in my opinion it's not worth it for Phaneuf. You just hear too much about Phaneuf and locker room problems. Is it true? Maybe, maybe not. But I have to wonder why Phaneuf is on the block on his second team.
- ystoil

Eberle for Pietrangelo...

Eberle for Pietrangelo...
- 13sundin13

In an absolute heart beat. We would have to add a 1st and prospect likely.

They should not be getting rid of Phaneuf, they should be getting a better player to compliment him. I would get JBo next summer at $5M and sign Dion at $4.5. that would be a good 1st pairing.

But, just keeping Dion at $6.5+ beyond this season would be a disaster.

A trade between us and the Oilers doesnt make any sense.neither team has anything the other wants. Gagner wont replace bozak, isnt as good as kadri, isnt as effective as bolland and is overpaid for 4th line center.hemsky, well he is just poop. Smyth must be close to dying. And every other player is the best prospect in the league apparently (along with Vancouver players) so why trade them.

Yeah Phaneuf is going to take 4mil per season. Watters must be living in 2001 still. Look around the league and you'll see what type of defenseman comes in at the 4mil range, and Phaneuf is well ahead of almost all of them. 5-5.5mil is probably what Dion should get, but some team will probably give him 6+.

Sorry Mike, stopped reading at Bill Watters
- AdamFrench

He is like a senile version of Milbury. Yikes.

If we lost Phaneuf for nothing, would we be a better team next season? Obviously not.

Will he fit into our top 4 in the future?

I see Franson, Gardiner, Rielly in there in 2-3 years, I've been saying this the entire time, we should move Phaneuf for a big strong defensive first guy.

I don't see a fit with Edmonton.

If not him who? Nick Schultz? Jeff Petry? Smid?

I'm sorry but that's a pretty embarrassing list. And I based it on the fact he led your Defense in points and played over 21 minutes a game for the oilers.
- TheLeafsInsider

and Smid and Petry played the toughest minutes. Their point totals may not have been great but they do a poop tonne of other things right. Honestly, no homer here, they're badly underrated by people.

If we lost Phaneuf for nothing, would we be a better team next season? Obviously not.

Will he fit into our top 4 in the future?

I see Franson, Gardiner, Rielly in there in 2-3 years, I've been saying this the entire time, we should move Phaneuf for a big strong defensive first guy.

I don't see a fit with Edmonton.
- MapleLeafsFTW

Volchenkov?

Hate to say it when you are using a bitter old man like Watters as a source the whole argument falls apart.

What Gardiner, Rielly and Franson have in common is that none of them are ready right now to take on Phaneuf's role on this team. Nonis wants the team to move forward, not slide backwards because they traded their top defenceman and captain.

Anyone can be moved, but I don't see the Leafs moving him. Linking to Edmonton is pointless because they have too many guys they would never move. And when it comes to New Jersey I'm not sure they have a lot they would be willing to move that would be worth it. With no first round pick and Kovalchuk walking out that leaves them in a pretty uncomfortable position.

Yeah Wilber. Long term care time.

Waters is a grumpy old idiot

Get rid of Phaneuf and Toronto then needs two number 1 dmen. It's already going to be tough to make the playoffs. Remove him without finding a decent replacement and they are likely screwed.
- daeth

The most salient point yet.

Everyone knows that there's nothing to this rumour, but Leafs fans keep adamantly arguing the Oilers NEED Phaneuf, while Oilers fans keep adamantly arguing that Phaneuf sucks.

Great use of our time guys...

He would make us better for sure but no way I'm giving up any of our top 6 forwards, Klefbom, Nurse, or a 1st rounder. Hell no. They'd be much better used towards a better top pairing defender than Dion.

I would actually consider using Gagner but the 1 year of Phaneuf lowers his value unless you get him resigned immediately after. But that would leave a big hole in the middle for us unless we go out and get Grabovski.
- ystoil

except we dont want your garbage gagner soooo.. no thanks

Everyone knows that there's nothing to this rumour, but Leafs fans keep adamantly arguing the Oilers NEED Phaneuf, while Oilers fans keep adamantly arguing that Phaneuf sucks.

Great use of our time guys...
- Morris

Phaneuf is the last player you want around your young stars.

Our best bet is to see if someone, anyone, will take Liles. If not maybe look into moving Gunner. Probably wouldn't get a huge return but would be decent and we wouldn't have to worry about paying him. Subtract his 2.5 (roughly) RFA salary and we have 10m for Franson, Fraser, and Kadri. More then enough.

except we dont want your garbage gagner soooo.. no thanks
- DarcyTucker16

This would normally kickstart a gagner vs. Ballzak debate.

However, no. Leafs won't trade Phaneuf. As daeth eloquently pointed out, the Leafs would be losing their only true #1 dman.

Yeah Phaneuf is going to take 4mil per season. Watters must be living in 2001 still. Look around the league and you'll see what type of defenseman comes in at the 4mil range, and Phaneuf is well ahead of almost all of them. 5-5.5mil is probably what Dion should get, but some team will probably give him 6+.
- blahman20

Yeah, it's just not realistic to say Phaneuf will get 4 million per as a UFa after the insanity we just witnessed on July-5th.

Phanuef was paired for part of last season (top unit) with Kostka, who was let go, and to my knowledge hasn't signed anywhere else.

Canuckleheads and Oilers fans can whine all the want, but they still have limp fusilli in their trousers.

This blog is over.

On to more important things: if I bought a bb gun, could I shoot raccoons without fear of killing them?

Don't get me wrong, I would love to kill them. But in Toronto, the PETA/city council/enviro-granola coalition would be all over my ass.

Not that I could blame them.

I have a gorgeous ass.

Yeah Phaneuf is going to take 4mil per season. Watters must be living in 2001 still. Look around the league and you'll see what type of defenseman comes in at the 4mil range, and Phaneuf is well ahead of almost all of them. 5-5.5mil is probably what Dion should get, but some team will probably give him 6+.
- blahman20

Yeah around 4.5-5. But given the crazy money thrown around this summer and somebody gives him over 6. Hell look what James Wiznewski got on the open market, Matt Carle etc.

Sorry Mike, stopped reading at Bill Watters
- AdamFrench

exactly.

Watters has assumed half the personality of UG and half the personality of Howard Berger.

stirs the pot in an attempt to remain viewed as being relevant.

Yeah Wilber. Long term care time.
- honesthockey

sounds like he won't need it for very long... the 'crabby' factor seems to have gone up demonstrably in the past year or year and half... I guess he's feeling really irrelevant these days...

he should connect with Berger... they can sit around be bitter together.

Phaneuf is the last player you want around your young stars.
- Scooby_Doo

are the Canucks ready to pull the trigger on Edler + Tanev for Liles and Gunnarson?

this would save the Canucks a bunch against the CAP, not that the Canucks have a CAP problem, but it would be nice to have a couple extra million to sign the 5-6 roster players they still need.. and not have to use half their AHL roster.

how does it get you a couple of million in space... simple.

Edler 5M
Tanev RFA... will wan't the going Vancouver rate for defensemen with is 4M+
so 9M

Liles 3.8M
Gunnarson ... who should sign for about 2.0-2.5.

9M versus 5.3M.