Phaneuf’s contributions go beyond scoresheet
It would be reasonable to expect a player mired in a 20-game goal scoring drought to be called out by his coach, and by the paying customers that fill the arena seats.
If that same player had yet to find the net since being acquired in a blockbuster trade by the Toronto Maple Leafs, whose fans are as fickle and as rabid as they come, a person couldn’t be faulted for watching for swirls of angry mobs to approach the Air Canada Centre with lit torches.
Yet Dion Phaneuf, four years removed from his Calder Trophy nominated season in which he scored 20 goals, not only escapes the wrath normally reserved for players who don’t find the net, he is lauded for his intangible contributions.
“Dion leads by example,” observed Leafs coach Ron Wilson. “He’s kind of taken charge of our dressing room.
He’s very vocal in practice and during games. Everything about Dion is very loud. It’s having an impact, especially with the young guys on our team, the enthusiasm he brings every day.”
Through 20 games played as a Leaf, Phaneuf has vaulted into team’s leader in ice time at 26:23 per game. His durability on special teams has also propelled him into the top spot in per game ice time in both power-play and shorthanded situations (4:36 and 3:16 respectively).
When the Leafs and Calgary Flames consummated the seven-player swap on January 31 that brought Phaneuf to Toronto, the Leafs penalty-killing efficiency was a pathetic 70.1%. The figure was not only dead last in the NHL, but was on pace to become one of the worst PK ratings in league history since the benchmark became an official statistic.
Since Phaneuf’s arrival, Toronto’s penalty kill is operating at just over 85% (10 power-play goals against in 57 opportunities in 20 games).
With his positive impact perpetuating throughout the dressing room, Leaf Nation is more than willing to overlook his lack of goal production. His coach doesn’t appear too concerned either, for the time being.
“If you ask Dion, he says: ‘I get two points every night we win,’” said Wilson. “That’s the most important thing.”
Phaneuf is likely to earn a berth on Team Canada’s entry at the World Championships in Germany in May after having been overlooked for the Olympic team. Also, it would be to no one’s surprise if the bright orange “C” that was crested prominently on his sweater during his time in Calgary evolves into blue and white “C” – for captain – next fall.
The Leafs highest-paid player ($6.5 million US per year) is far from their most offensively productive.
However the 24-year-old certainly appears to be the most influential, if not the loudest.
“He apparently must be paid by the word,” jabbed Wilson
Rob Del Mundo is the author of Blue And White Beat, and is a regular columnist at TMLfans.ca
Follow TMLfans.ca on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tmlfansrob
