Dion Phaneuf Deserves Respect From Toronto Faithful

Despite having the deck in many ways stacked against his efforts in Toronto, he still took responsibility for his and his team’s actions. He faced the intense scrutiny and did not run and hide.

The Toronto years were not very kind to Dion Phaneuf, both on and off the ice. Tuesday morning’s trade of the defenceman from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Ottawa Senators creates a golden opportunity for Phaneuf to put those years behind him.

Unfortunately for Phaneuf, he will more than likely be remembered as one of the faces (if not the face) of some of the leanest years in franchise history. This is not all on him, but as a captain during a span when playoff chase meltdowns and poor play were common place, the stigma will forever follow.

Phaneuf had his share of the blame for losses and lapses in on ice judgment. For that he was crucified on many occasions by the unforgiving spotlight of the Toronto media. Surprisingly, he was eager to continue over the long term for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

During his years in Toronto, many fans joined the media pile on and the message boards filled with unflattering remarks and assessments of the man they dubbed “Pylon”. It was a situation that would appear to be impossible to continue to play in, but to his credit Phaneuf pressed on.

Many doubters will say that type of abuse is fair game when you are making 7 million a year, but the doubters do not have to go out and perform in that environment, Phaneuf did. He gave it his best efforts, and while those efforts may not have been recognized by all who watched him play, they were appreciated by those whose opinion matters most.

James Reimer may have put it best when he said “To be the face of the team when you are losing is tough. A lesser man would have crumbled. He faced it every day”. Phaneuf had the respect of his goalie and with that deserves a break from the fans who lived to bash him.

He may not have been the best captain the Leafs have ever had or even one of the best defenceman, but Dion Phaneuf was never given much help by management to take this team higher. The personnel was never there to be more than a mid-table team. Coaches also did him no favors by logging him heavy minutes against top units when his skills did not translate into being suited for that role in today’s NHL.

Despite having the deck in many ways stacked against his efforts in Toronto, he still took responsibility for his and his team’s actions. He faced the intense scrutiny and did not run and hide. He accepted the changes each coaching staff made and seemed to have found some momentum under Mike Babcock.

That momentum helped make the trade happen. There is little argument that Dion Phaneuf needed to be traded. It was what was best for the franchise from a financial standpoint moving forward.

Next: Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Dion Phaneuf to Ottawa Senators

It will be interesting to see if time changes the hearts of many fans in regards to Phaneuf. Will he be remembered more fondly or will his name still bear the burden of the failures of the past decade? At the very least, Phaneuf should be given proper respect whenever he visits Toronto as an Ottawa Senator. He does not have to be a fans favorite player, or be in consideration for Legends Row, but for the years of service he provided to the Toronto Maple Leafs, he should be appreciated and wished success on his future endeavors.