23 Jun 2014 16:36:34
I hope all you guys know that the Leafs will not be trading Dion Phaneuf! All they are doing is listening to offers on him and seeing what the market could be, just like most likely every other player in the league. The Leafs have clearly stated that they are looking to improve their Defensive core by adding defensive veteran talent. In seeing all these trade proposals including Phaneuf is ridiculous. Seeing that they will trade him to Florida for the 1st overall pick is far fetched. Even though if they did that trade and picked up Aaron Ekblad, then good for us because we just picked up a fer sure franchise defense. But the Leafs are in the time where they need to improve now and start becoming playoff contenders now. Dion Phaneuf is not the best defensemen in the NHL but he is one of the Leafs best,(with excluding Morgan Rielly), he plays 25+ minutes a night against the NHL top offensive players, and he shuts them down fairly well considering he was still a +2 this year. In trading Phaneuf, the Leafs will lose their defensive core completely with trading Phaneuf. Guys like Rielly, Gardiner, Franson etc. won't be able to hold up the Leafs defense for the year and the Leafs would just fall down to a top 10 first round pick. again. Another reason in trading Phaneuf, is that no NHL team will just hand you a defensemen to replace his minutes and abilities. You won't see Chicago give Toronto Brent Seabrook, Arizona give Keith Yandle, etc. The Leafs need to keep Phaneuf and build around him. He is the heart and soul of that blueline at the moment, with his work effort, powerplay, penalty kill, he plays everything. All the Leafs need to do is retool their defense a little and simply add a top pairing defense to Phaneuf and add some veteran grit and size to the bottom 6 defense. In saying so, Dan Boyle, Brooks Orpik would be the best options for Toronto. Trading Cody Franson, Tim Gleason and maybe even Jake Gardiner, depending the offer would be the best option for the Leafs so they can trade those pieces for some offensive help. In all I think the Leafs will keep Phaneuf and should even though he makes you want to get hit by a train sometimes, even for myself.

1.) 23 Jun 2014
He was very little value tho, maybe a 15-20th pick would be traded for phaneuf and a 6th pick

2.) 23 Jun 2014
He would get a good roster player and a pick

3.) 24 Jun 2014
The reason they are trying to trade him is so they don't get stuck with 7mil a year off their payroll when you could use that 7mil in a better way, its a money game

4.) 24 Jun 2014
TO ALL OF THE ABOVE:
Phaneuf has his faults but he will be very hard to replace and his 7 Mil will appear very ordinary as time goes by. The leafs had a complete breakdown from the Coach to the smallest player but Dion seem to take the majority of the blame.
I don't love Phaneuf but he has become the whipping boy for Leaf Fans most of whom know little to nothing about Hockey.
Firstly how do you replace his minutes. He needs his minutes reduced so he not a lame duck out there.
I believe he should never have been made captain, especially with his track record. What's done is done but maybe with Shanahans help Leafs can make the Phaneuf experience work.