[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2013/...euf-worth-50m/

My takeaways:

- Dion is not a #1 D Man on a contender
- Is good enough to be one on a very young team
- Is a winner by circumstance, there are not many options if he leaves.

This is what I always thought, he has put up ok numbers (last year is hard to say he would have hit 18 goals, so take the half year with measure), but he won by going to the hype machine, and at a time when the team had little defense options.

I think that is what I have been reading from people who cover/fans the leafs, he is a guy turning a B game on a elite team, into an A+ paycheck on a slight above average one in the right market. Bottom line, he'll get it, but it will be over payment much like most of his career.

In a cap world, that is a mistake, but one the Leafs have little choice on.

If the Leafs are an 'elite team' and Phaneuf is there number 1 defenceman, does it not follow that he IS in fact a number 1 D on an elite team?