that was in the last blog like 4 hours ago
- Big_Lightnin

Gee now you tell me..

I find Phaneuf to still be terrible defensively. He pinches at the wrong times, he takes stupid penalties (usually because he is out of position), and he doesn't use his boy in the one place he should (in front of our net). He would be a very good #3 D-man, but I do not consider his a $7M d-man. That is Weber territory and he is not even close to the d-man Weber is.
- mfreedman

Is he really that far off? Looking at their offensive number over the past few years, and they are nearly mirror copies of each other. I don't get to watch Weber, and I know 1 game does not make a career, but in the game vs the Leafs he was on the ice for 3 of the 4 goals the Leafs scored, and he looked pretty darn ordinary to me. Definitely was not doing anything that put him miles ahead of Dion.

If I could trade Phaneuf to EDM for their 1st round pick, I'd do it...considering it is going to be top 5 whether Phaneuf is on the team or not....it's clearly a great market right now considering what Garth Snow just stupidly set the bar at with the Vanek trade....I could only imagine the package in return for Phaneuf, would be very beneficial I'd imagine.
- ThePresident

so then we basically give up on this year? because without phaneuf, our D will not take us anywhere

Man, the Phaneuf hate in here.... so many ridiculous comments... do some of you even hockey?
- SofaKingBored

no, they just use corsi stats.

I know +/- is a useless stat, but he's a +7 this year playing against the best players in the league, with an average defensive partner.

That's impressive, haters just choose to ignore facts because they dislike the player.
- peddy-93

my one concern is that maybe he is looking better because he finally have forward team mates capable of playing strong defense.

Bolland shadowing the oppositions best for example.. it may make Dion look better since he is being properly supported when it comes to team D

those who hate dion

do not understand the game of hockey.

and thats all i have to say about that.

thankfully he had a good start though. Media would have had fun if he only had 2-3 goals by the 20 game mark like last year
- Big_Lightnin

People were saying he doesn't deserve to be in the same sentence as Stamkos, Ovechkin, Tavares, etc.

So I ignored him since he doesn't seem very intelligent in hockey.

There is a leafs game tonight
I am glad we will get to see the leafs play without Bozak for 10 games.
We can really see how much we miss him

Not disputing that....but Phaneuf is not worth 7 per for 7 years....massive overpayment.
- ThePresident

I think it's great news that Dion is asking for 7+ and it isn't the Leafs offering.
This will turn out to be a decent deal with both parties semi happy. Not sure where you get that $7M is MASSIVE overpayment - it may be slightly, but take a look around the league and see some of the contracts vs return that are out there. Dion makes this team better. He is a pain in the ass to the first lines he faces - in no way do his opponents ever think they are going to have an easy night playing against him and I can't see that changing into the next contract. As the rest of the leaf D matures, Dion will probably be even more effective with the support around him. JMO.
I like the guy and don't want him to go - who else is available? People keep talking about contracts of D who are not UFA - who signed deals years ago - what's the point.

so then we basically give up on this year? because without phaneuf, our D will not take us anywhere
- clark_griswold

No, like I said, he is not going to make EDM that much better if he were traded to the Oilers, nor would he make the Leafs drop in the standings if he were traded...besides, we could easily find an older replacement/rental for him via trade at a low cost, not as good, but close....atleast defensively.

... do some of you even hockey?
- SofaKingBored

I hockey as much as possible.

People were saying he doesn't deserve to be in the same sentence as Stamkos, Ovechkin, Tavares, etc.

So I ignored him since he doesn't seem very intelligent in hockey.
- peddy-93

my favorite kessel chirp was when ppl said seguin was a 'way more complete player'. Both wingers at the time, neither played a lick of PK, neither hit or blocked shots or fought.

But seguin is WAY more complete because kessel is a leaf.

No, like I said, he is not going to make EDM that much better if he were traded to the Oilers, nor would he make the Leafs drop in the standings if he were traded...besides, we could easily find an older replacement/rental for him via trade at a low cost, not as good, but close....atleast defensively.
- ThePresident

we all have our opinions, i just don't know where to begin with this part.

There is a leafs game tonight
I am glad we will get to see the leafs play without Bozak for 10 games.
We can really see how much we miss him
- senstroll

Bozak is out for 10 games??

I think it's great news that Dion is asking for 7+ and it isn't the Leafs offering.
This will turn out to be a decent deal with both parties semi happy. Not sure where you get that $7M is MASSIVE overpayment - it may be slightly, but take a look around the league and see some of the contracts vs return that are out there. Dion makes this team better. He is a pain in the ass to the first lines he faces - in no way do his opponents ever think they are going to have an easy night playing against him and I can't see that changing into the next contract. As the rest of the leaf D matures, Dion will probably be even more effective with the support around him. JMO.
I like the guy and don't want him to go - who else is available? People keep talking about contracts of D who are not UFA - who signed deals years ago - what's the point.
- Woderwick

It becomes a massive overpayment in a few years. That is the problem.

my one concern is that maybe he is looking better because he finally have forward team mates capable of playing strong defense.

Bolland shadowing the oppositions best for example.. it may make Dion look better since he is being properly supported when it comes to team D
- Dozzer

Dion can't be a one man team, no one can. Of course he's going to need help. He's been the scapegoat on a mediocre team for many years and it's unfair to him. Now that we are better in team defense, he's showing he can also be better. He's not as bad a player as been shown the past couple of years, but that reflects to him being on a meh defensive team and since he's our #1 he got the blame for it.

Like I stated earlier, Weber is considered elite and had amazing numbers when Suter was around and on a defense-first team. Now Suter is gone, he has similar numbers to Ph9, yet people still say Weber is elite, so why is Phaneuf over-rated?

Incorrect.

You are worth what you can get in an open market.

Dion can get 7.5 x 7 in the open market easy.

The question is does he want to take a slight discount to play in the hockey capital of the world and be the Captain of that team.
- SameOld

Montreal doesn't want him

all the points in 2 games. He's on the 3rd line now. But yeah, he's awesome
- clark_griswold

um... no, 4 points in 1 game. PPG in each of the last 4.

And yes, look at that, capable of 4 pts in a single game. Something Bozak is not!

and not saying he's awesome, just better than Bozak at every single facet of the game, now including faceoffs.

Bozak is out for 10 games??
- faceto27

LTIR. Minimum 10 games or 24 days

EDIT - my bad, he's just on IR...

No, Tacos, sweet delicious tacos
- AngryWhiteMale

Beef, Chicken, Steak, Shrimp, Pink, all an absolute treat.

Bozak is out for 10 games??
- faceto27

in his world he is

my favorite kessel chirp was when ppl said seguin was a 'way more complete player'. Both wingers at the time, neither played a lick of PK, neither hit or blocked shots or fought.

But seguin is WAY more complete because kessel is a leaf.
- clark_griswold

That discussion has gone to poop. Kessel is only one of 2 forwards to be top 10 in scoring in the past 2 years, with Stamkos.

So what were people expecting him to sign for? 6-6.5? Yeah right.

It becomes a massive overpayment in a few years. That is the problem.
- ThePresident

Yes because 30 is wall for all players. Once the hit 30 all skill and endurance are completely gone. There are way too many fans on here that think all players careers are done once they hit 30.

There is a leafs game tonight
I am glad we will get to see the leafs play without Bozak for 10 games.
We can really see how much we miss him
- senstroll

After SAT in VAN they don't play til Friday.

It becomes a massive overpayment in a few years. That is the problem.
- ThePresident

maybe... it maybe becomes a massive overpayment.

what isn't a "Maybe" is how (frank)ing terrible the Leafs D will be without him for the next few years.