Hard to judge - Phaneuf is a trainwreck. He can't skate anymore. Can't really shoot all that well. Misjudges plays. IQ of an empty paper bag.
But - is he worse than Cowen, Borowiecki, or Wiercioch? That's the question. I am not sure if people on CP understand how terrible the Sens defense is beyond Karlsson and Methot, and Ceci when not being overplayed.
Can they handle that brutal salary for four more years? Only if Phaneuf can live up to second pairing standards.
Michalek was good for the Sens - killed penalties, anchored a second line when healthy, but injured a lot. Watching Karlsson's interview, he was a close friend to EK as well.
Getting rid of Greening and Cowen's salaries (a pair of terrible signings by Bryan Murray) is a definite plus and I'm sure Sens fans will be celebrating. Time will tell if Phaneuf's salary and play will make up for this cap dump.
|