Dion Phaneuf: His time in Calgary

[killer_carlson]

One thing about his contract was that a number of other Flames who signed at the time structured their contracts to leave some on the table - not a lot - but some.

Phaneuf squeezed every cent out. I always wondered how that played in the room.

To me the biggest drop in Phaneuf's game was when he lost Hamrlik as his partner. Hamrlik had very high hockey IQ and could cover for Phaneuf.

To this day I think Sutter blew that trade.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

I would imagine it's tough to be a kid coming up in junior and hearing how amazing you are for years and not buying into the talk. Sometimes it takes a long time for guys to grow up.

and from the sounds of it, he now has grown up.
takes some guys longer than others. good for him.

[Sandman]

I can't comment on the validity of the story, but i know someone who worked in the Saddledome during the Dion years and she has MANY stories about how big a DB he was. It wouldn't surprise me if this story was true-I think he was a hated guy in the dressing room, and we all know how much he hated playing defense.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

If you read his post, the mandate from his boss was to keep playing Phaneuf without cutting his minutes.

The same mandate given to Brent Sutter.

It's right there in the post.

You can still give him the same minutes, but bench him for a few shifts after Dion did something stupid. You work within the mandate. Maybe take him off the first unit PP for the next PP that the Flames got, and put him on the 2nd unit. Doesn't have to be all the time, but a coach who thinks a defencemen has a 2 cent brain would find a lot of flexibility working within the mandate. Maybe force him to actually work with Regehr and Warrener during practice.

The fact that none of these things happened (AFAIK) leads me to believe that Keenan didn't think that Dion had a 2 cent brain, mandate or not (which I seriously don't buy).

If this narrative came out of a former teammate or former coach/assistant coach or someone that you could at least validate in some way, I would believe this (illogical) tale.

Not everything wrong with the team has to come from some 'upper management or owner conspiracy'.

[Northendzone]

I could easily see dion being one of those guys that half the guy in the room liked, while the other half hated him.

I see Rhett as beign a guy that everyone could like

my opions on each player are based on how they present themselves in the media. dion was like a robot, and Rhett is casual and laid back. Maybe one or both my perceptiosn are wrong.

as mentioned above this is a interesting distraction

[Geeoff]

If Flames were really shopping Phaneuf that heavily for that long, you think we would've gotten a better return.

I thought Phaneuf got traded because he and Robyn Regehr couldn't agree on a radio station.

[Geeoff]

I wonder if it would've really helped Dion's offensive game to take some shifts at forward. I think it really helped Brent Burns and Dustin Byfuglien who have similar skillsets and came in around the same time.

[CSharp]

For the first couple of years, I thought Phaneuf was pretty awesome - big slapshot and big hitter. Paired with Regehr, the Flames D was like massive! No one dared to go into the Flames zone and if anyone did, they didn't come out unscathed. By the time he was traded, I (and I'm sure many of us) were frustrated with him. This unsubstantiated story kind of confirms a bit of that. There were rumours of him having scuffles in the locker room with either Regehr or Iginla or somebody. But because JBo was signed over the summer that year, he was expendable. Looking back, between having JBo or Phaneuf, I'd probably choose Phaneuf.

You look at him now in a Sens uniform and watch his interviews recently. The guy has matured quite a bit. The trade and a crappy team in TO likely took a while for things to sink into his thick skull, but I think it's definitely changed him - and likely humbled him.

[CsInMyBlood]

So the guy who posted this:

Knows that Phaneuf was shopped around the league on many occasions. - So he must know other GM's or Darryl Sutter.

Knows Langkow and Iginla confronted Dion after a "Hey look at me on TSN moment." -So he must know Daymond or Iginla or at least a player in that dressing room.

Knows that Darryl Sutter was frustrated with Dion when he was the coach. -So he must know Darryl Sutter.

Knows that the biggest reason Sutter hired Keenan was to coach Dion some defense. -So he must know Darryl Sutter.

Knows that Keenan went to Sutter and said Dion had a "10 cent head" and knows that Keenan demanded multiple times to trade him. -So he must know Sutter and/or Keenan.

Knows that Bertuzzi got into it with Dion on the bench after a shift. -So he must know Bertuzzi or someone on that bench.

Knows that Brent Sutter asked Darryl Sutter to trade Dion in the preseason. -So he must know Brent or Darryl.

I mean it just goes on and on. Knows what teams were interested in Dion. Knows that players clapped as Dion left the locker room for the last time. Knows that Flames players laughed when it was announced Dion was handed the C in Toronto. Knows what teams were interested in Dion from Toronto. I mean this guy knows everything from every angle.

So obviously, the only possibility for this story to be true is this poster must be Darryl freaking Sutter.

Thanks for the inside info D-Sutts! From everything you've ever shown us, I would have never would have guessed you were such a gossip queen or had an account on HF.

[GreenLantern2814]

Keenan hated Phaneuf so much he played him 26 minutes a night for two straight years.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Who really cares anymore? He didn't turn into the player most thought he would. Nobody really won the Phaneuf trade to Toronto.

Phaneufs biggest problem was Daryl Sutter backing up the truck for him instead of him getting a bridge deal. That's not on Phaneuf, and I say that never really liking Phaneuf.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I was incredulous at the part where his teammates applauded after he was traded. As hated as he might have been, I SERIOUSLY doubt they would have been so disrespectful to do something like that.

Without credible sources, this is probably the justification of some Leafs fan for why Dion would be traded for minor pieces to a rival.

[Erick Estrada]

Darryl Sutter, when he coached the Flames, grew very frustrated with Phaneuf's refusal to grasp the basics of positioning and to play within his limitations (he didn't have the skating skills to get back in position when he intentionally took himself out of position.)

Darryl only coached him for one season and it was his rookie year so this comment seems a little out of sorts seeing he was a Calder finalist with an impressive 49 point initial season and that Flames team was very good defensively. Also he was a Norris finalist under Keenan and there was never any indication that he was in Keenan's bad books. I don't think it's any secret he wasn't the most popular guy in the room but I don't it was until Brent Sutter took over that things really went bad as Brent wanted the team to play a more responsible brand of hockey and to be fair Phaneuf was not the only player that was at odds with that. Also as has been said some GM's commented they didn't even know he was available which is not what you normally hear when a player is shopped as much as this unanimous poster claims.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

You can still give him the same minutes, but bench him for a few shifts after Dion did something stupid. You work within the mandate. Maybe take him off the first unit PP for the next PP that the Flames got, and put him on the 2nd unit. Doesn't have to be all the time, but a coach who thinks a defencemen has a 2 cent brain would find a lot of flexibility working within the mandate. Maybe force him to actually work with Regehr and Warrener during practice.

The fact that none of these things happened (AFAIK) leads me to believe that Keenan didn't think that Dion had a 2 cent brain, mandate or not (which I seriously don't buy).

If this narrative came out of a former teammate or former coach/assistant coach or someone that you could at least validate in some way, I would believe this (illogical) tale.

Not everything wrong with the team has to come from some 'upper management or owner conspiracy'.

Keenan in 2012:

Keenan also questioned whether the team would have been better off keeping Dion Phaneuf, adding: "When you got a superstar forward (Iginla) and certainly a winning goalie (Miikka Kiprusoff) ... you need to be anchored by a defenceman that would have the calibre of carrying a team as well so I don't know if Phaneuf would have drawn into that. He certainly had more upside than another defenceman that I was coaching and he's a guy that needs a lot of direction and you need to be firm him but he can give you minutes and results offensively."

Keenan in 2010:

While Flames players continue to insist there were no problems inside the dressing room during Dion Phaneuf's tenure in Calgary, former coach Mike Keenan has a slightly different take.

Keenan confirmed to TSN that there were, in fact, issues with Phaneuf and his teammates.

According to the report, veteran players referred to Phaneuf as "Neon Dion" and found him "cocky at times."

Having said that, Keenan acknowledged enjoying his time coaching Phaneuf, one of the more competitive players he has dealt with.

The scuttlebutt around the team was phaneuf had the nickname 2-20 based seasons in the league (2) and seasons he'd acted like he'd played (20).

The clapping would not surprise me as part of the reason phaneuf was so emotional following the trade.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Who really cares anymore? He didn't turn into the player most thought he would. Nobody really won the Phaneuf trade to Toronto.

Phaneufs biggest problem was Daryl Sutter backing up the truck for him instead of him getting a bridge deal. That's not on Phaneuf, and I say that never really liking Phaneuf.

Actually the biggest mistake was not signing him in May of '04 & throwing him into the Cup run. Rhett has mentioned this before on the Fan960. Either ownership was too cheap or Sutter hesitant. I remember him saying something around the time being that it's not easy or a quick process to sign a draft pick.

Either way, Neuf'er had the ego to jump right in. Maybe even do well.

[Scary Eloranta]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I can't comment on the validity of the story, but i know someone who worked in the Saddledome during the Dion years and she has MANY stories about how big a DB he was. It wouldn't surprise me if this story was true-I think he was a hated guy in the dressing room, and we all know how much he hated playing defense.

Even my wife has a Phaneuf DB story! I think he's just a cranky dude in general and his ego doesn't help matters. Maybe he's mellowed a bit since then...

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by Scary Eloranta

Even my wife has a Phaneuf DB story! I think he's just a cranky dude in general and his ego doesn't help matters. Maybe he's mellowed a bit since then...

Don't leave us hanging god dammit!

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Keenan in 2012:


Keenan in 2010:


The scuttlebutt around the team was phaneuf had the nickname 2-20 based seasons in the league (2) and seasons he'd acted like he'd played (20).

The clapping would not surprise me as part of the reason phaneuf was so emotional following the trade.

2-20, meet figjam. Figjam, 2-20.

[868904]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Phaneufs biggest problem was Daryl Sutter backing up the truck for him instead of him getting a bridge deal. That's not on Phaneuf, and I say that never really liking Phaneuf.

Phaneuf was one of the hottest commodities at the time of the signing. He just finished his 3rd season with 60 points in 82 games and 182 PIMS; in today's game, that's a Norris finalist. I think this board would have flipped out if Darryl only got him on a bridge deal. At that time, Phaneuf was as important and as big a deal as Monahan and Gaudreau were last Summer.

It's not Darryl's fault that Phaneuf was an immature brat. Instead of learning and getting better, he did things his way "allegedly" and his game went into the sewer.

If you have a young player coming off an ELC and performed well, the bridge deal is not an option. The bridge deal is only there if the young player has struggled, see Sam Bennett. The first 3 seasons for Phaneuf in Calgary were 3 of the most impressive first 3 years of any player in Flames silks. Sutter had no choice but to sign him to that big contract. If I recall correctly, there was also the threat of an offer sheet at the time.

[Flash Walken]

The only thingbad about the phaneuf signing was that his play went down hill following it, instead of getting better and growing into the contract.

49pts
50pts
60pts

then

47pts
32pts
30pts

Somehow, after year over year declines in statistical output, he managed to get a raise on a long term contract. Great work, Nonis!