Have Leafs fans had Phaneuf?

Dion Phaneuf was one of many Toronto Maple Leafs player rumored to be on the trade block this offseason. Others were Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak, and Joffrey Lupul. As we saw, only one of those players found a new home, and that was next to Sidney Crosby.

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Chances are, the only other player that even had a trade market was Tyler Bozak. Bozak takes a lot of heat in Toronto, but he’s a little better than fans give him credit for. It’s possible the return value being offered was too low.

The limited to non-existent trade market for Joffrey Lupul is directly related to his injury history and price tag for that type of risk. Dion Pheneuf is a different story. At least for right now, that $7mil/cap hit is too rich and lucrative for an overpaid defenseman who should be a 3-4 d-man on most teams.

It’s not to say there couldn’t one day be a trade market for Dion. Truth be told, Dion could be an effective player if used in the proper role. But I’m here to set the record straight, because Leafs management has had a false perception of their Captain’s playing ability for far too long.

Interestingly enough, while I was working on this piece it dawned on me that it would worth checking our Fansided team network for Toronto, “Editor in Leaf” to make sure I wasn’t relaying repetitive information.

Coincidentally, Tim Chiasson wrote an excellent piece Monday titled “Toronto Maple Leafs: Expectations for Dion Phaneuf” which is definitely worth a read. He does a great job using analytics to help explain why Dion needs to take a back seat to a more diminished role. The article goes beyond just that, so you’ll definitely want to check it out.

I’m going to take the opposite route of analytics, as my approach is more of a simple hockey minded observation focusing on specific skills. Regardless of which side of the spectrum you come at it from, there’s really only one solution to fix the problem with Dion’s woes, and that’s stepping down into a lesser role.

I’d like to start by quoting a scouting report of Dion Phaneuf by the Hockey News on his flaws, “Lacks consistency. His defensive-zone coverage leaves something to be desired at times, which negates his impact on the NHL a little. Can be a little too exuberant at times in search of the big hit and gets out of position“.

What’s the saddest part about that scouting report? Little has changed from what scouts were saying about him leading up to his draft year. He still runs around his own zone like a chicken with his head cut off, frequently out of position. And he still leaves his d partner to fend off odd-man rushes while in search of that big hit, just like time spent in the WHL.

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His tendency to run around in his own zone causes confusion amongst linemates. It often leads to things like missed assignments, open players, and quality scoring chances. I’m willing to bet if they kept a stat for who’s to blame on the defensive side of goals scored, that Dion Phaneuf would lead the category.

Feb 28, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Dion Phaneuf (3) and teammate Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier (45) stretch during the warmup period before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

He’s a bit of a pylon in front of the net. Sometimes causing more harm in screening the goalie than making space for them to see the puck. Dion is a slow backwards skater in comparison to other NHL d-men. His pivoting from back to front is amongst the worst in the NHL, which is why he’s commonly known for being so easy to beat on the outside.

He’s got a big shot that struggles to get to the net. If he had accuracy, or could get it through for a tip then he’d be an effective PP quarterback. Unfortunately, a lot of his shots miss the net or find shin pads. An effective d-man keeps the puck low making tips/redirections possible as well as rebounds, whereas many of Dion’s shots on goal are at least waist high.

Phaneuf puts up good numbers when it comes to shot blocking and body checks. But he lacks the necessary hockey IQ to understand when to best effectively use his body. How many 2-on-1’s were caused by Dion misreading the play attempting to pinch?

Captains do need to step up at times though. Maybe a game has gotten out of hand, or the opposition is taking runs at skilled players or poking at the goalie. Dion has struggled to identify when he needs to step up, be a leader and drop the gloves (because sometimes two captains going toe to toe can go a long way to settling down a game).

How many times have we seen him back down from fights? Or give a player a little nudge or cross-check in a situation where he should be defending his guys?

Mar 16, 2015; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Dion Phaneuf (3) takes a shot on goal that is tipped in for the leafs first goal of the game against the Edmonton Oilers in the first period at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Chris LaFrance-USA TODAY Sports

It would be impossible to speculate on what kind of leader he is in the dressing room. So I’m not going to make any assumptions on whether or not he should be the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. But being a leader means both on and off the ice.

The contract, defensive issues, and captaincy are all a product of misreading the value of the player. But how did it ever happen in the first place?

We’ve already seen that the earliest of scouting reports largely represent the same game he plays even today. The same game he played during his tenure in Calgary.

Did Leafs management of old not see the red-flags during his time with the Flames? Should the red-flags have not have gone up when Calgary was willing to part with their young stud d-man? It’s not like his game really changed dramatically at any point. Just a lot of smart hockey people who had unrealistic expectations of Phaneuf’s abilities. But hey, you can’t change the past.

You’ve got him at a very expensive price tag now and you need to find a way to best effectively use him or showcase him to make him attractive enough for a trade.

If anyone can find a way to best effectively use Dion Phaneuf, it’ll be new bench boss Mike Babcock. The game plan is pretty simple really. You don’t put him in the situations that put his defensive deficiencies at most risk.

Feb 26, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Dion Phaneuf (3) skates during the pre game warm up against the Philadelphia Flyers at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

First, that means he doesn’t match up with the opposition’s top line. Second, he’s better suited on the 2nd PP unit. Third, you absolutely cannot have him on the ice in the last two minutes of close games. Lastly, limit his minutes so you can limit his mistakes. That means playing in the 17-20 minute range. Sounds like a 3-4 type of 2nd pairing defenseman to me, no?

Do this, and you may be able to create a trade market for a 2nd pairing d-man who carries a $7mil/cap hit. On the flip side, it’s not as though you’re contending for a cup anytime soon, right? So there’s no chance the contract could hurt the Leafs.

Although it may be more likely that Leafs fans will need to get used to seeing Dion Phaneuf in the blue and white, at least for a little while longer.

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