Toronto Maple Leafs: Jake Gardiner and Dion Phaneuf

Dion Phaneuf entered the league as a big hitter, with a hard slap shot. Jake Gardiner is not very comparable in that way, but they have other things in common for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Phaneuf on January 31st, 2010 in blockbuster trade with the Flames.

The Leafs acquired Gardiner on February 9th, 2011 from the Ducks in one of the only good moves Brian Burke made for the team.

Similarity #1: Production

Phaneuf joined the Leafs during the 2009-10 season and posted 10 points in 26 games with the franchise. While he looked very promising with the Calgary Flames, he didn’t live up to expectations in Toronto. He had a career high 44 points in 82 games during the 2011-12 season.

Gardiner produced 30 points in 75 games as a rookie in 2011-12.  While the team got worse, Gardiner’s production stayed the same. Scoring between 24-31 points in 2013-2016. In 2016-17 he had his breakout season with 43 points in 82 games. This compares to Phaneuf’s 44 points in 2011-12 as both players are around the same age at this point (27).

Both players can produced a comparable number of points during their best years as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Similarity #2: Underrated Defensively

Phaneuf may not have put up the best defensive numbers, but his defensive game was underrated.  During his time in Toronto, he was tasked with playing the most minutes and against the best players in the NHL – and he never had a great partner.

Nicknamed the “Pylon” in Toronto by some of the team’s less respectable fans,  Phaneuf was often a whipping boy and a target of undeserved criticism.  He was never as bad as people thought – it is just what happens to good players on bad teams.

Gardiner is comparable in this aspect. Even though his possession rating is fabulous and shots against always decrease when  he’s on the ice, he gets a rep as being bad defensively.  Ironically, Gardiner’s biggest impact on games is defensive –  the Leafs get way more shots than they allow when he plays.

He is a player who makes a lot of plays, but since he’s prone to the occasional blunder,  he takes an undeserved beating from some fans. LIke Phaneuf,  his positive contributions were often overlooked because he was a great player on a bad team.  It is no coincidence that Gardiner’s reputation took a huge upswing after the Leafs had a strong season and made the playoffs.

Phaneuf was a more purely offensive player and Gardiner is clearly far more adept at defense than Phaneuf ever was, but the similarity is that both players are way better without the puck than given credit for.

Similarity #3: On-Ice Leadership

Phaneuf has always been a leader on the ice. Over his career, he has been an assistant captain for the Flames and Ottawa Senators,and was the captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He uses his voice to motivate his teammates and will fight or make a big hit when needed.

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Gardiner may not have had a letter on his jersey but he does show the qualities of a leader. He speaks a lot on the ice and uses his offensive play to motivate his team. With the direction the Leafs have gone in the last couple of seasons, Gardiner was one of the veterans to help the younger players enter the league comfortably.

Both players are leaders on the ice, and though they both show it in different ways, this is yet another similarity.

Conclusion

Both Phaneuf and Gardiner are offensive players who show strong leadership abilities.  What really makes them similar however, is that they were both the best defenseman on a weak blueline, on a bad team.  While Phaneuf never got to play for a good Toronto team, Gardiner did last year and the improvement it made to his reputation is noticeable.

The two players are both much better defensively than they are usually given credit for and it is this that makes them so similar, even though they play very different styles of game.

Next: Leafs Must Find Room For Kapanen

If I had to choose one player, it would have to be Gardiner. While Phaneuf is an above average player, his skating isn’t the greatest and considering the direction the league is going with speed and skill, he could become a liability. Gardiner on the other hand, is one of the best two-way defenseman in the league, and as one of the league’s top 30 blueliners, he is a legit #1 defenseman, even if he’s not the superstar player the team is craving.

*stats from hockeydb.com