Toronto Maple Leafs: Phaneuf and Kessel Deserve Respect

Earlier this week, Dion Phaneuf came back to Toronto to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Instead of fans showing support for Phaneuf, he was booed. With fans booing Phaneuf every time that he touched the puck, it stirred quite a commotion on Toronto Maple Leafs Twitter.

As a Leafs fan, it was frustrating to see Phaneuf get booed by many fans who used to rave about him and wear his jersey.

Let’s not forget our past. Phaneuf was the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and he was one of the most feared players in the NHL. No one wanted to take a hit from Phaneuf. In his 423 games played with the Maple Leafs, he delivered 1,113 hits. Additionally, Phaneuf wasn’t afraid to block shots.

Also, he wasn’t a slouch in the neutral nor offensive zone. During his time in Toronto, he registered 45 goals, 151 assists, 17 power-play goals, 71 power-play assists, 24:22 ATOI and a 47.0 corsi-for percentage.

While his success never translated into many successful playoff runs, he should still be honoured in the city of Toronto for his accomplishments and efforts as a Maple Leaf.

Plus, Phaneuf didn’t leave the Toronto Maple Leafs organization on his own volition. He was dealt to the Ottawa Senators on February 9, 2016. It’s not as if Phaneuf walked down Yonge Street and yelled, “Send me to Ottawa. I hate Toronto”. Lou Lamoriello traded Phaneuf to another organization. So, please don’t boo Phaneuf. It wasn’t his choice to pack up and leave Toronto.

Phil Kessel Will Be Back Tomorrow Night

In addition, another former Toronto Maple Leafs player will come back to Toronto. Phil Kessel, who played with the club from 2009-15 will be back. Kessel and the Pittsburgh Penguins will face-off against the Maple Leafs tomorrow night at the Scotiabank Arena.

Similarly to Phaneuf, Kessel was a valuable asset for the Toronto Maple Leafs even though his performance in a blue and white sweater didn’t translate to success in the playoffs.

Maple Leafs fans will always remember Kessel for his outstanding shot. His accuracy was always off the charts and whenever the Maple Leafs needed a goal, Kessel was always called upon.

In 446 games played in Toronto, Kessel had registered 181 goals, 213 assists, 52 power-play goals, 76 power-play assists, 19:45 ATOI, 10.9 S% and a 48.3 CF%.

Even though Kessel was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, he should still be respected by Maple Leafs fans across the globe. Like Phaneuf, he didn’t choose to pack up his bags and head to the steel city. Plus, if the Maple Leafs never traded Kessel to Pittsburgh, the Leafs would never have acquired Kasperi Kapanen nor Frederik Andersen. The Maple Leafs had netted Kapanen from Pittsburgh and the front office had used the first round pick from Pittsburgh to help acquire Andersen from the Anaheim Ducks. So, it’s fair to say that without the Kessel trade that the Maple Leafs wouldn’t be where they are today.

So, to recap, when Kessel touches the puck tomorrow night, please show him respect. He was an outstanding asset for the Maple Leafs and should be respected for his accomplishments in a Leafs sweater.

stats from NHL.com and hockey-reference.com