[Rumour] Eklund: Oilers ready to make offer for Phaneuf

[Erick Estrada]

Didn't Drager say last season Leafs brass weren't fans of Yakupov? Can't see them being interested with him being the key return for a 20+ minute defeseman.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Didn't Drager say last season Leafs brass weren't fans of Yakupov? Can't see them being interested with him being the key return for a 20+ minute defeseman.

"we won't trade him for our back up, but we will give you our top dman."

Yeah, don't see it happening without some other pieces **3rd overall ** cough cough

[Dion]

Bill Watters rips Phaneuf...

Former Maple Leafs assistant general manager Bill Watters was interviewed on Oilers Now on Friday, and he had both an interesting rumour and some harsh words for Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf. In part, here’s what he had to say:

"Dion Phaneuf should be dispatched as soon as they possibly can and the story I hear is that Edmonton’s interested and if they are tell [general manager Craig MacTavish] to take him and have fun with him. I find him to be the most overrated, undernourished hockey player in the history of the NHL and whoever made him the captain of the Maple Leafs should have been fired six years ago."

http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/201...-dion-phaneuf/

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by Dion

Bill Watters rips Phaneuf...



http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/201...-dion-phaneuf/

July 13, 2013

Classic Dion.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Dion

Bill Watters rips Phaneuf...



http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/201...-dion-phaneuf/

Hence why some Canadian players would rather play south. Watters with a total character assassination. We all know Dion has his warts but this is petty stuff by Watters. Not doing the Leafs any favours here Bill.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Hence why some Canadian players would rather play south. Watters with a total character assassination. We all know Dion has his warts but this is petty stuff by Watters. Not doing the Leafs any favours here Bill.

He literally jumps on Phaneuf and Ovechkin every time a mic is passed his way. They joke on all the different radio programs on NHL Radio (XM) that they'll try really hard to get through a waters interview without mentioning those two

[badradio]

I still think Dion is an elite player under the right coaching staff... He won't get that in Edmonton and doesn't get it in Toronto... I don't think its a coincidence that he had a great year under Darryl Sutter

[killer_carlson]

dion is an elite player if and when he is paired with an extremely high hockey IQ partner like Roman Hamrlik

When he isn't paired with an elite hockey IQ, dion struggles, even when his partner is a good player.

So if I was looking at acquiring Dion, my first question is do I have the right partner in my top 3 contracts to partner with him. Edmonton does not.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Dion

Bill Watters rips Phaneuf...



http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/201...-dion-phaneuf/

Phaneuf and most overrated players in league history? Watters should go back to consuming doughnuts before completely slamming someone unprovoked. The only people overrating him have been the fools that don't bother to take into account that he simply isn't what they think he is - never was and never will be.

I guess being one of the few defencemen who can regularly score 10-15 goals and provide a physical element to their play means nothing? By no means is he a franchise type defenceman but he's still a very good 2/3 guy to have on your team. As far as the Oilers are concerned, as long as they are not giving up anyone inside the group of RNH/Hall/Eberle you can't really argue.....adding Shane O'brien would be an improvement on that D core.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by badradio

I still think Dion is an elite player under the right coaching staff... He won't get that in Edmonton and doesn't get it in Toronto... I don't think its a coincidence that he had a great year under Darryl Sutter

You have coaches like Keenan/Wilson/Carlisle who think playing a guy like him until he drops dead (nearly 30 min a night) is good for him and you have coaches like Darryl who pair him with a reliable, smart player. Considering only the absolute best of the best skaters/defenders can handle minutes like that its no wonder Dion's weaknesses are even more exposed.

He'd definitely be looked at a lot different these days if he had spent another year or two under Sutter.

[AC]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

dion is an elite player if and when he is paired with an extremely high hockey IQ partner like Roman Hamrlik

When he isn't paired with an elite hockey IQ, dion struggles, even when his partner is a good player.

So if I was looking at acquiring Dion, my first question is do I have the right partner in my top 3 contracts to partner with him. Edmonton does not.

Its funny now that Phaneuf's best suited defense partner so far in his career has been Roman Hamrlik.

For whatever reason, it was a perfect fit.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by Mike F

Classic Dion.

Who cares about the date. The material is still relevant.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by badradio

I still think Dion is an elite player under the right coaching staff... He won't get that in Edmonton and doesn't get it in Toronto... I don't think its a coincidence that he had a great year under Darryl Sutter

Tale of Dion.

1) Hip problem which still makes his right turns and acceleration a big a problem

2) New rules on types of hits that are legal have confused Dion.

3) Basicly just a stupid hockey player that needs a very smart D partner to look good.

4) please get him Edmonton!

[calgarywinning]

5) Sloppy seconds.
- Not to promote rudeness but I think Edmonton would be slathering for something we
gave up.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by badradio

I still think Dion is an elite player under the right coaching staff... He won't get that in Edmonton and doesn't get it in Toronto... I don't think its a coincidence that he had a great year under Darryl Sutter

Dion is no longer capable of being an elite player under any system. That hip injury pretty much did that in. He is what he is now - an offensive (but inconsistently so) defenceman who will play 1,000 games in the NHL. And that isn't anything to sneeze at. Cost notwithstanding, he'd probably fit best in a second pair role.

[Steve Bozek]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

5) Sloppy seconds.
- Not to promote rudeness but I think Edmonton would be slathering for something we
gave up.

Well they've done alright by doing that in football and hockey (Normie Kwong, Johnny Bright, Danny Bass, Kent Nilsson, just to name a few)

[Locke]

Please, please, please DO IT!!

Phaneuf - Schultz

Think about that for a minute.

They'd be setting modern day +/- records.

Could you imagine that pairing on the powerplay? The Shorthanded Goals Against would be in the deep double digits.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Kessel should tell Hall to watch out for Dion.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

dion is an elite player if and when he is paired with an extremely high hockey IQ partner like Roman Hamrlik

When he isn't paired with an elite hockey IQ, dion struggles, even when his partner is a good player.

So if I was looking at acquiring Dion, my first question is do I have the right partner in my top 3 contracts to partner with him. Edmonton does not.

That is exactly right. Calgary fans never realized how good Hamrlik was.

[Resolute 14]

Agreed, but it was hard to get a good view of how good Hamrlik was when he spent half the game in the penalty box after rifling the puck over the glass.