With all trade rumors, there are always hidden agendas, word parsing and subtle negotiating tactics mixed in with a hint of truth. That appears to be at play with the report over the weekend that the Maple Leafs are shopping defenseman Dion Phaneuf.
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported Sunday afternoon that Toronto is looking at the possibility of trading their 29-year-old team captain to a club in the Western Conference.
Prior to the Olympic break, Phaneuf put forth his best all-around performance since being acquired from Calgary in January, 2010, but he declined dramatically in the final 22 games of the season (2 goals, 7 assists, 57 PIM and -17 plus/minus)and was a central factor in the Leafs March swoon.
Ontario captains on the way out soon? Independent sources say both #Sens and #Leafs shopping Spezza/ Phaneuf to west conf #NHL teams
— Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) May 11, 2014Kypreos added that there is a lot of interest around the league in the former Norris Trophy finalist, whose seven-year, $49 Million contract extension kicks in this summer, but that the Leafs would have to eat some of the $7 Million annual salary to make a deal possible.
Other reports indicate that the Leafs are open to many roster change scenarios, but have not specifically discussed trading Phaneuf recently.
Check out the Hockeybuzzcast from last Friday, as we discussed the possibility of Phaneuf being shopped
Leafs have had no discussions with teams re: Phaneuf since deadline. Would they move him? Yes. Is he being shopped? No. Willing to listen.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 12, 2014Had Phaneuf not signed a contract extension and opted to test free agency, he arguably would have been the most sought after player in a very thin free agent market this summer and would have drawn a comparable offer to the deal he agreed to prior to the Winter Classic last December.
With pending UFA Andrew MacDonald signing a six-year, $30 Million deal with Philadelphia and Pittsburgh’s Matt Niskanen likely to get more than that in July, the lack of depth and quality on the market puts Toronto in a good position to get top value back for Phaneuf. The indication that the Leafs would have to eat some of Phaneuf’s salary to make a deal work is patently absurd and unlikely to occur.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Phaneuf’s value around the league is much higher than his value in the supercritical Toronto hockey market. Nonis is not going to open himself up to a heap of criticism by admitting he overpaid Phaneuf on his new contract, when he can simply take a contract back in a trade to accomplish the same goal.
If the market is limited to the Western Conference, there are at least five teams who could have legitimate interest in Phaneuf.
Edmonton – his hometown team, that is in desperate need of adding a top pairing, minute-eating defenseman and has a bevy of young offensive talent to offer in exchange.
Dallas – With Alex Goligoski, Trevor Daley and a declining Sergei Gonchar as the club’s top three defenders, Phaneuf would be a significant upgrade.
San Jose – With veteran Dan Boyle’s $6.6 Million salary coming off the books, Phaneuf’s salary would fit in nicely. Like Toronto, the Sharks are looking to shake up their roster after another playoff disappointment.
Colorado – Similar to Edmonton, the Avalanche have boatloads of quality forwards and are light on defense. The tantalizing target would be pending RFA center/winger Ryan O’Reilly, who is likely looking to eclipse Matt Duchene’s $6 Million salary on a new deal.
Vancouver – A club in transition (who does not even have a GM yet), that could be poised to move veterans such as Ryan Kesler, Kevin Bieksa, Alex Burrows and Alex Edler.
With the announcement that Randy Carlyle is being retained, the Leafs will have to find some way to implement the much ballyhooed “culture change… they discussed following the season. Trading a prominent lightning rod like Phaneuf and getting equal value in return would go far in accomplishing that goal.
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