[News] Dion Phaneuf announces retirement

[The Fisher Account]

Still remember how the Dome was just fixated on him at the point on the PP during his first few years. You just knew he was either gonna score or hit one of his own players in the head.

More great memories than bad. All the best Dion.

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Originally Posted by FormerPresJamesTaylor

Was there ever any truth to Iginla knocking him out in a parking lot fight back in the day?

Originally Posted by activeStick

Highly doubt that. Dion was at the weekend's inductee ceremony to watch his old friend get accepted into the HHOF

Fair enough but I'm not sure that matters. Young 20somethings, professional athletes, two competitors like Jarome and Dion, it wouldn't be shocking if it came to a shove or two back in the back. You could've gotten into a fight with a friend 20 years ago two and forgotten it.

Iginla almost fought both Phaneuf and Giordano later in his career too.

[FireFly]

Way back when I was working reception at the Saddledome, the Flames had been on a road trip that was not going well and Dion especially was in a slump. One of the trainers had me ship an entire box of sticks to Edmonton, same day delivery, because Dion was certain his sticks were the problem.

[calgarywinning]

Incidentally I was at the airport for two Dion trades and spotted him with his gear. First was Calgary to Toronto and second time he was traded was when Toronto was in Calgary to Ottawa.

I'm not sure what this means, but he wasn't happy both times.

[sketchyt]

I can't speak to Dion's behviour when out at Cowboys or places like that, but I've seen him interact in charity events many times.

He's probably one of the best hockey players I've seen around kids in terms of generosity and demeanor. He has this over-the-top loud personality around kids and it really resonates with them.

Never had a poor interaction with him.

[mile]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1460680564281856007

There’s also another good story about him in a Facebook link in the comments for this tweet

[FireFly]

Pretty sure that being a rookie on a team led by Jarome Iginla helped shape the man Dion turned into outside of the rink.

[CroFlames]

For you young kids out there who might not remember, imagine having a rookie Dman like Quinn Hughes who was built like Tom Wilson.

Phaneuf was something else in his first two seasons.

[RW99]

Yeah, I was a big fan his first couple of seasons. Here I was, many years ago...

[savemedrzaius]

He always put in 100% and the number of stories I've heard from ex-teammates sounds like he's a great guy/teammate. He's good buds with Kessel still which I think is neat

https://twitter.com/user/status/1460619511581876233

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by savemedrzaius

He's good buds with Kessel still which I think is neat

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Modern day Three Stooges

[Johnny Makarov]

From comments from that Ian Mendes Tweet.

Story I thought I'd share:
Been seeing some mixed stories about Phaneuf about the player he is and such. Thought I'd share the story of when I met him.
It was during the year Ottawa was hosting the NHL All Star Game and Festivities.
I was actually working for the Senators at the time and was helping with some matters at the Chateau Laurier hotel downtown (This was the hotel we had the players staying at)
I had just the day previous had a entertaining dispute with Phil Kessel and His mother who were arguing with me that they wanted a discount on jerseys and merchandise to which I informed them that it was actually not allowed and in fact against the CBA and considered a form of bribery which would get both player, team and NHLPA in a lot of trouble. They shared some choice wording to me and other things that I will leave private.
All I could think was "this just adds to why I hate the maple leafs, and you make millions a year but complain about paying $150 for a jersey"
Jump ahead to the next day and a young boy was at the merchandise stand in the players hotel (he was not the child of a player simply a kid wanting to buy all-star gear) and he wanted to buy a jersey , hat, and a booklet. He unfortunately didn't have enough money.
As I stood there watching as he's trying to figure out what to keep I see come walking over Dion Phaneuf and his wife Elisha Cuthbert. They over hear this kid trying to decide what he wanted (none of which was Phaneuf or even Toronto maple leaf players in fact it was a Montreal player)
Phaneuf walks over to the kid and tells him "pick whatever you'd like buddy I got you covered" and proceeds to pay for everything the kid wanted.
I walk over at this point and shake his hand and say that was incredibly thoughtful. I jokingly said to him "why'd you have to go and do that, your boy Kessel made it easy for me to not like any Maple Leafs and you just made me have to go and like one" he had a good laugh said "you must be a sens fan, I've gotten that a lot since getting here"

[savardandjokinen]

Dion was my favorite player when I was a young kid. Thanks to him for helping shape my love for the game and congrats to him on a great career.

Prime Dion was something else

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by sketchyt

I can't speak to Dion's behviour when out at Cowboys or places like that, but I've seen him interact in charity events many times.

He's probably one of the best hockey players I've seen around kids in terms of generosity and demeanor. He has this over-the-top loud personality around kids and it really resonates with them.

Never had a poor interaction with him.

It's funny - I always heard all the rumors about Dion at bars in Calgary and wonder how much of it was true vs fake.

I actually met him and some other Flames at Back Alley after a pre-season game once. He just happened to come stand next to me when I was ordering my drinks.

Had a quick chat with him and said good luck on the season, and when the bartender came back he paid for my drinks. He was super nice the whole time, and didn't seem to have an issue at all with the discussion.

About 15 minutes later though he was just surrounded with people hounding him in the bar, and of course some drunk idiot was trying to goad him into a fight. About 5 minutes later him and the other Flames players (I recall Boyd and Nystrom being there too) that were there that night decided just to leave.

Also felt bad for him as the rumors were circulating because I had a feeling it was less about who Dion was as an actual person, but more that the way he played on the ice made him a target for idiot tough guys trying to act cool at the bar.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I think he also matured over the years. He came into the league and after his rookie season was considered one of the Top 3 - alongside Crosby and AO.
Hard not to have that go to one's head.
Life has a way of humbling us all and I suspect over the years he grew up a lot. We all do.

[CroFlames]

We still call Crosby Sid the Kid but he and Phaneuf were rookies together. And now he’s retiring.

Are we old?

[MissTeeks]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1460765504642203650

I forgot about this

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

https://twitter.com/user/status/1460765504642203650

You’d think by now people would be able to spell Jarome correctly.

[Enoch Root]

Especially a reporter named Jermain.