I would hate Phaneuf back in Calgary. There were so many stories about him being such a DB in public. Don't care about that? Fair enough.
He did rub some people the wrong way - Regehr and Warrener approached Keenan for him to intervene and tell him to play defence. Couldn't be bothered. Just cared about his offence. Maybe he matured? Maybe.
I don't really believe the whole 'cheating' story with a player's wife, and the 'dust-up' rumor about him and Iginla fighting in the locker room - stupid moronic rumors that probably grew out of control. I don't really think he polarized the room much. It was Iginla's team, and if there was a problem, Iginla wouldn't be buddy-buddy with him at the All-Star game or dinners in TO with him. Iginla's relationship with Phaneuf was really telling.
What I do buy is that the room in Calgary was not 'right' somehow. Was he part of the problem? Maybe. Was he part of the solution? Maybe. I would much rather start fresh. I want more veterans traded away, DIFFERENT vets brought in over the next couple of years to change that room and the culture on this team.
I also don't want the Flames to waste assets in obtaining Phaneuf. I would rather Cammy and Tanguay and whomever else would ever be a part of that trade (Phaneuf is not going to be traded for scraps - as much as I think he is still over-valued personally, he just isn't going to come cheap) I would much rather have those assets return prospects/picks, and have the Flames take some shorter term but expensive contracts in return, and use FA to obtain more vets (to hopefully trade some at the deadline). I hope the Flames do this for 2 years - rinsing and repeating - until that room and this team plays with a "never say die" attitude.
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