I loved Phaneuf when he broke into the league with us. The big shot, the highlight reel hits... but as time went by it became more and more obvious he just doesn't think the game at a high enough level. He's not terrible, but for that price tag and the minutes he's allotted, he is a detriment. He simply thinks the game like a cave man.
The Leafs aren't looking to get rid of him for any other reason than you're not going to be successful with him as one of your go-to defenders. They seem to have come to this realization too late, as they gave him huge dollars / term. The fact they're looking to move him should be a huge red flag. I don't wish ill of the guy, but it would be very fitting to have the Oilers pay a premium to get him as I think he would just be another cog in the engine that drives their ongoing futility. You can just picture the bewildered look on Dion's face as he's standing before more reporters in an Oilers dressing room trying to account for the ongoing failure there. Part of my thinks that team and he are a good fit for that reason.
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