Captain Phaneuf

[cabber24]

I think Phaneuf should play 60 minutes a night. Outside of Phaneuf the D has looked awful for the last decade! A breakaway while killing a penalty! How does that happen?

 

[L K]

There's been talk here and there about getting rid of Phaneuf, but very little explanation about how the team would go about replacing him.

There's no defenseman in the upcoming UFA market that could step into his shoes.

But that sort of assumes that the person talking about getting rid of Phaneuf advocates doing it via free agency. I don't advocate that personally but I do have concerns with locking him up to a contract that can really only be good value if he's consistently one of the best defensemen in the league.

I have those concerns as well, but I'm not optimistic at all about the team's chances of replacing him via FA or trade.

It depends on the type of defense the Leafs want to employ next year.  Phaneuf is the only #1 type defenseman on the UFA market this year.

There are a handful of decent 2nd pairing defensemen out there though. 

You would have to balance the loss of Phaneuf with the trade return on Phaneuf, and one would assume one of Reimer/Bernier.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

A breakaway while killing a penalty! How does that happen?

Not only a breakaway, but a breakaway where the player got 3 rebounds...Ummm guys, where are you? It's a complete head scratcher.

 

[ZBBM]

You would have to balance the loss of Phaneuf with the trade return on Phaneuf, and one would assume one of Reimer/Bernier.

That could bring a major, major return.  I half sort of maybe hope we bomb out before the deadline and they make a move like that.

 

[cabber24]

A breakaway while killing a penalty! How does that happen?

Not only a breakaway, but a breakaway where the player got 3 rebounds...Ummm guys, where are you? It's a complete head scratcher.

I don't know what planet these guys are on?

 

[dappleganger]

In the loss last night, Phaneuf was a +2.    Crosby had no goals and I think only got his points when Phaneuf wasn't on the ice vs. him.. at least on one of the two assists.

edit: he was an even 0 +/- in the 6-0 loss vs. Columbus.

Sssssooooooooooooo we replace him, how?

A real leader would take the minuses instead of letting his teammates take them, amirite? 

Yeah, It seems Phaneuf is only concerned about padding his stats, playing for his next contract, rather than team success.

 

[Kin]

What is the argument?

That in getting rid of Phaneuf you're not looking to make a lateral move or an immediate improvement but, rather, making a decision that it's better to wait for the right player than it is to give a bad contract to the best available option.

 

[ZBBM]

What is the argument?

That in getting rid of Phaneuf you're not looking to make a lateral move or an immediate improvement but, rather, making a decision that it's better to wait for the right player than it is to give a bad contract to the best available option.

To follow up on this belatedly....  I think Nik's hit the nail on the head. As good as he is, and as well as he's played, is Phaneuf the core guy on D that we need to invest in long-term?  I'm not sure the decision can be made on the basis of stats alone. 

I used to say that we will never build a championship team around Phaneuf and Kessel because they each have glaring flaws.  I've had to eat a bit of crow on that because each has deepened his game somewhat.

But our defense really hasn't improved since Phaneuf got here.  That's not his fault, of course.  Yet it is true that things haven't coalesced around him.

What I want to suggest is that Nonis would be remiss if he didn't consider hitting the re-set button on the D almost entirely, especially if we keep muddling along to the trade deadline and it looks touch-and-go (or worse) for making the playoffs.  I could see using assets gained by dealing Phaneuf to begin retooling the D from the ground up.  In that scenario, maybe Rielly is the only untouchable.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

coalesced

Had to look that one up

 

[Rebel_1812]

I don't think your going to be able to acquire a better defense men then him.  So the argument of saving to invest in a better guy is mute.  The logic is akin to not resigning either Bozak or Grabbo; because neither is a true number one center.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

The logic is akin to not resigning either Bozak or Grabbo; because neither is a true number one center.

Except for the guy actually producing like a #1 C, but alrighty then.

 

[Kin]

The logic is akin to not resigning either Bozak or Grabbo; because neither is a true number one center.

So...it's sound then?

 

[freer]

The logic is akin to not resigning either Bozak or Grabbo; because neither is a true number one center.

So...it's sound then?

WHo are we going to sign then? No one is coming, and we have to suit up a team. There are no free agents "Number one centers" to sign

 

[Kin]

WHo are we going to sign then? No one is coming, and we have to suit up a team. There are no free agents "Number one centers" to sign

I genuinely don't know how to make the point any clearer than I did in reply #586.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

WHo are we going to sign then? No one is coming, and we have to suit up a team. There are no free agents "Number one centers" to sign

Signing somebody to a bloated contract for 8 years just because there is nobody better available in year 1 isn't exactly smart.

I'm not entirely sure that's where we're at with Phaneuf right now, but he was once an insta-sign for me and now I'm not too sure.

 

[mr grieves]

The logic is akin to not resigning either Bozak or Grabbo; because neither is a true number one center.

So...it's sound then?

If only they did it for the scoring depth grinders of their dreams.

 

[Kin]

If only they did it for the scoring depth grinders of their dreams.

Well, that's why pencils have erasers.

 

[lamajama]

Well we'll have some indication of his worth the next 2 games anyway.

 

[Joe S.]

Well we'll have some indication of his worth the next 2 games anyway.

Don't we already know? Didn't we see the Leafs flounder when he was out for about 20 games or so a few years back?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Well we'll have some indication of his worth the next 2 games anyway.

Don't we already know? Didn't we see the Leafs flounder when he was out for about 20 games or so a few years back?

I remember when Sundin was hurt in the 2002 playoffs and the Leafs still made the conference finals it proved Mats was expendable.