Leafs Unveil New Jersey and New Captain
Toronto Maple Leafs announced Dion Phaneuf as the 18th Captain of the storied franchise while also unveiling a new jersey that the team will begin wearing in the 2010-2011 NHL seaon.
The Toronto Maple Leafs unveiled a new look Jersey and with it, a new Captain. Dion Phaneuf, acquired in a January 31st trade that saw 7 players change teams, is the 18th Captain in the long and storied history of the Maple Leafs franchise.
The announcement this afternoon ended the 2nd longest captain-less period for the Leafs. Phaneuf joins a list of the greatest Leafs to wear the “C” a list that includes names such as Hap Day, Ted Kennedy, George Armstrong, Darryl Sittler, Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundin.
With 3 former Captains: Armstrong, Sittler and Clark at his side, and 3 current teammates: Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak and Luke Schenn sitting front row, Phaneuf proudly put on his new #3 “C” Leafs jersey. “It’s a tremendous honour…means a lot to me” was his immediate response to being named the new captain. “I just want to be myself and lead on and off the ice…we have to learn and get better as a team” sounds like a captain in my books.
GM Brian Burke opened the conference by saying “He’s the guy I would have begged Wilson to pick” while also stating that Phaneuf is the type of leader that the team has been waiting for since Sundin left.
“Dion represents everything we want a Leaf player to be, he plays with passion” was how Coach Ron Wilson introduced the new captain to the media.
Leaf great Wendel Clark had these words of wisdom for Phaneuf “Just be yourself and have fun with it, things can be tough when its bad, but when they’re good, there is no better place to be captain.”
Phaneuf’s time with the Calgary Flames ended amid reports that he was at the center of some dressing room issues, which led to his subsequent trade to Toronto. While several former Calgary teammates have stood up for him, Craig Conroy said “I think Dion is a great player and a good guy, I didn’t have a problem with Dion” others took backhanded shots at him. “Maybe things weren’t working out here, or guys were plateauing, there were changes made. The feeling around our dressing room was better after that, no one was having any fun” according to Robyn Regehr.
His teammates and coaches in Toronto have nothing but praise and respect for him, “We would have to make a mega-deal to bring the greatest captain of all time in order to not name Dion the captain” Head Coach Ron Wilson said in an interview. Christian Hanson, Phaneuf’s stall mate had this to say “You just look at how the team’s been doing since he got here. The energy’s really picked up” and “He comes in and he’s just always talking, always getting the guys going. I definitely think it rubs off.” Doesn’t sound like the bad apple Calgary made him out to be, but again, give it time and who knows what his new teammates and coaches will be saying about him.
While his offensive numbers are not what they used to be, just 32 points in 81 games in ’09-’10 his lowest total since joining the league in ’05-’06, he has brought a steadying force to the Leafs defence corps. Under the mentoring of Jean-Sebastian Giguere, and an improved defence, Jonas Gustavsson finished the season by going 7-3-1 with a 2.48 GAA and a .910 SV% compared to the 9-12-8 record with a 3.03 GAA and .899 SV% he had prior to the trades.
Much of that can be attributed to Phaneuf’s presence. Combine that with the improvement to the Leafs Penalty Kill due to the additions of Phaneuf and Fredik Sjostrom, finishing the season on a run that would have put them in the top-10 had it been achieved all season long, and you can begin to see the positive impact Phaneuf has had on this Leafs team.
It comes as little surprise to me, that the Leafs brain trust of GM Brian Burke and Head Coach Ron Wilson, feel comfortable with Phaneuf’s performance and demeanour to stick the “C” on his freshly designed, new Leafs jersey. However, only time will tell if Phaneuf can live up to the short list of great Leafs captains, and dispel any rumours that he was a cancer in the Flames dressing room, or just be another case of talent wasted in a blue-and-white uniform.
I’m hoping it all works out and he leads the once proud franchise out of the basement of the NHL and back amongst the elite where they belong.
