Captain Phaneuf

[ZBBM]

Phaneuf's been amazing.  All of my usual gripees have been.

 

[Mack674]

I think Phaneuf is looking great out there. More than before I get a sense that this is "his team"/ It certainly doesn't hurt to be +8 and have 6 points in the first 5 games.

There are a lot of things to like about the Leafs right now and Phaneuf is one of them.

Even his and Kessel's reaction to the tying goal was amazing to see. I've never seen Phil that excited after he's scored.

Beyond Kessel, I think he's been our best player. The little things he does to keep the play going are fantastic. If they can keep this up to the 10-15 game mark im going to get excited..

 

[maplesyrup]

This is the Dion we had hoped for. Kudos to our resident Phaneuf "apologist" (for want of better word) Corn Flake for giving him the benefit of the doubt when a lot of us thought that perhaps we didn't get in the deal what came as advertised. Its obvious to me now that the injury was that affected his game. I officially submit I was less right than I normally am.   

 

[cabber24]

He's been awesome. Great anchor, he has Pronger like potential... and I think Pronger is a God... plays half an hour a game and carries any team to the finals, ANA, EDM, & PHI.

A bucket of pucks for Pronger Jr! Now to get Iggy for 2 bucket of pucks...

 

[Erndog]

Phaneuf has been great this year.  Every time he is on the ice I breathe a sigh of relief.  It's as if, 'Ok good, Dion is on, things should be okay for the next 40 seconds'.

I love what he is doing.  Shooting better, passing well, being physical, lugging the puck up the ice.  Leading.  You can see how badly he wants to win.  It's rubbed off on the others.

If he continues to play this well I have no doubt he will get some Norris consideration. 

 

[AlmosGirl]

I think Phaneuf is looking great out there. More than before I get a sense that this is "his team"/ It certainly doesn't hurt to be +8 and have 6 points in the first 5 games.

There are a lot of things to like about the Leafs right now and Phaneuf is one of them.

Even his and Kessel's reaction to the tying goal was amazing to see. I've never seen Phil that excited after he's scored.

I thought that was awesome last night and it really stood out for me that this team is really coming together and that these 2 are definitely the leaders!

 

[Kessel_81]

I think Phaneuf is looking great out there. More than before I get a sense that this is "his team"/ It certainly doesn't hurt to be +8 and have 6 points in the first 5 games.

There are a lot of things to like about the Leafs right now and Phaneuf is one of them.

Even his and Kessel's reaction to the tying goal was amazing to see. I've never seen Phil that excited after he's scored.

I thought that was awesome last night and it really stood out for me that this team is really coming together and that these 2 are definitely the leaders!

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Lupul and Lombardi with some nice praise of Dion: http://www.tsn.ca/toronto/blogs/jonas_siegel/?id=378795

 

[Fanatic]

Lupul and Lombardi with some nice praise of Dion: http://www.tsn.ca/toronto/blogs/jonas_siegel/?id=378795

Thanks for posting that. I had missed it and might not have seen it otherwise.

Great quotes in there from the other players. Very good to see.

 

[cabber24]

F@#% Yeah! Phaneuf is killing it! His upside is the best d-man in the league. He has the potential to win the Norris annually for the next decade. Let's hope he can keep this up! Feels good having him be our captain.

 

[Number 5]

F@#% Yeah! Phaneuf is killing it! His upside is the best d-man in the league. He has the potential to win the Norris annually for the next decade. Let's hope he can keep this up!

Welcome to 2005!

Feels good having him be our captain.

Meh...honestly, I'm totally ambivalent about the captaincy. Phaneuf hasn't shown he deserves the 'C' yet, and certainly hasn't ingrained himself as "Your Captain.", as Sundin, and others before him, did. Maybe it'll come, but it certainly hasn't shown up thus far. Along with that superstar, Norris calibre D-man you're talking about...I'd love for him to show up, too, for more than just flashes.

Maybe soon. One can hope.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Meh...honestly, I'm totally ambivalent about the captaincy. Phaneuf hasn't shown he deserves the 'C' yet, and certainly hasn't ingrained himself as "Your Captain.", as Sundin, and others before him, did. Maybe it'll come, but it certainly hasn't shown up thus far. Along with that superstar, Norris calibre D-man you're talking about...I'd love for him to show up, too, for more than just flashes.

Maybe soon. One can hope.

Well, over the last 40 games he's played, he's put up 28 points in 40 games, which is a 57-point pace over an 82 game schedule (which would have been good for 4th among D in points last season).  This while playing over 25:00 a night.

Since he's played 92 games now as a Leaf, he's played around 43%ish of those games at the level I mention above.  It's also been acknowledged that there were probably some issues with him coming back to soon from that injury last season, which also has to be taken into account.

Given that, I think that during his time here it's been more than just "flashes", especially if he keeps this up.

 

[maplesyrup]

Personally, I have no issues with Dion as Captain. I'm not sure what else he has to prove on or off the ice. 

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Personally, I have no issues with Dion as Captain. I'm not sure what else he has to prove on or off the ice. 

Yeah, I'm pretty comfortable saying that Neon Dion is back and it doesn't look like he is going to slow down anytime soon.

 

[Number 5]

Oh, I don't mean to say he's not playing well...just that he's done nothing at all to make me say to myself, "Now THAT is captain material...".

Sundin, Sittler, Clark, etc...they all drew me in as strong leadership figures. Phaneuf plays well, and is a bit of an arrogant prick when he gets riled. To me, there is a difference.

However, my opinion isn't what matters. If the players feel he's an appropriate leader, and listen to him, so be it.

I'd just like a captain who I could rally behind, you know? Phaneuf just doesn't seem to have "it". At least not for me. *shrug*

 

[Erndog]

Oh, I don't mean to say he's not playing well...just that he's done nothing at all to make me say to myself, "Now THAT is captain material...".

Sundin, Sittler, Clark, etc...they all drew me in as strong leadership figures. Phaneuf plays well, and is a bit of an arrogant prick when he gets riled. To me, there is a difference.

However, my opinion isn't what matters. If the players feel he's an appropriate leader, and listen to him, so be it.

I'd just like a captain who I could rally behind, you know? Phaneuf just doesn't seem to have "it". At least not for me. *shrug*

I seem to remember a lot of the same things were being said when Sundin was named captain.  Took some time but he won pretty much everyone over.

I think Dion is doing the same.  When he was first named captain a lot of people said, 'Wha?!?" but as time has passed now a lot more have jumped on board with the idea.

Me? (not that it matters)  I'm full in favour and endorse Dion as Captain.

 

[maplesyrup]

Oh, I don't mean to say he's not playing well...just that he's done nothing at all to make me say to myself, "Now THAT is captain material...".

Sundin, Sittler, Clark, etc...they all drew me in as strong leadership figures. Phaneuf plays well, and is a bit of an arrogant prick when he gets riled. To me, there is a difference.

However, my opinion isn't what matters. If the players feel he's an appropriate leader, and listen to him, so be it.

I'd just like a captain who I could rally behind, you know? Phaneuf just doesn't seem to have "it". At least not for me. *shrug*

Are you sure its not just his flat (for want of better word) personality off the ice that bothers you? Because in my mind, he's a different beast most nights on the ice. 

 

[Tigger]

When I think of the composition of the Calgary teams when Dion broke in they had a real good mix of youth and vets, tough D and good goaltending under Darryl Sutter, I have to wonder what kind of effect Keenan had later on for an aging roster somewhat caught in no mans land rebuild wise ( things like trading a first for Cammalleri only to lose him as an ufa the very next year )

Not that I'm blaming Keenan for what happened but Iron Mike certainly had an effect on things.

 

[Number 5]

Oh, I don't mean to say he's not playing well...just that he's done nothing at all to make me say to myself, "Now THAT is captain material...".

Sundin, Sittler, Clark, etc...they all drew me in as strong leadership figures. Phaneuf plays well, and is a bit of an arrogant prick when he gets riled. To me, there is a difference.

However, my opinion isn't what matters. If the players feel he's an appropriate leader, and listen to him, so be it.

I'd just like a captain who I could rally behind, you know? Phaneuf just doesn't seem to have "it". At least not for me. *shrug*

Are you sure its not just his flat (for want of better word) personality off the ice that bothers you? Because in my mind, he's a different beast most nights on the ice.

Could be...though you'd be hard pressed to say Sundin had a personality off the ice...never met a captain so quiet...there was something about him though, that spoke volumes about leadership. Odd.

 

[Kin]

I think there's a certain reality of no team's captain being universally embraced until that player either A) firmly establishes himself as an elite player or B) the team has some success during the captaincy.

Personally I tend to be of the opinion that who the captain is doesn't matter a whole heck of a lot in most cases and the best and the worst thing I can say about Phaneuf right now is that that's probably true of him.