Meh, Phil Kessel is a slightly older version of Taylor Hall.
Dion Phaneuf would make an excellent #2 defenceman, but he's being deployed and leaned on like he's Shea Weber.
He can't go throwing around devastating hits and junping into the rush like he used to, because he knows he's going to have to kill every penalty, play 26 minutes, provide a physical presence, and be expected to produce on every power play. He is a very valuable player, and he can do all of those things, but he's not good enough to do all of them at the same time, night after night, all game, every game.
If Phaneuf was playing 20-ish minutes, and not getting buried so badly (ie the most badly buried player in the entire NHL last year IIRC) he'd look a LOT better.
But Toronto doesn't have anyone else who can even pretend to carry a top pairing.
Because Toronto is no good.
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I am a lunatic whose world revolves around hockey and Oilers hate.
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