The Value of: Dion Phaneuf

NHL Hot Stove presents it’s “The Value Of” series which will look at some of the names discussed around the NHL who likely will be moved at the March 3rd trade deadline.

With the Flames now on the outside looking in, their playoff chances seem dwindling. At this point numerous Dion Phaneuf rumors continue to swirl around the NHL, the latest coming from the kid who probably got beat up waiting for the bus, Larry Brooks of The New York Post.

Despite the fact you can find numerous errors in said article, Brooks does indeed mention GM Darryl Sutter as desperate to find a suitor for Phaneuf. In order to gage his trade value, first we must determine how a pursuing team sees the enigmatic 24-year-old.

With the Flames dying offense, their immediate need would be skill. Brooks mentions the Rangers but the two simply do not seem to be a match. The Rangers only hold so many skilled players on their roster, most of them young and signed cheaply. GM Glen Sather cannot afford another big name contract and acquiring Michal Rozsival or Wade Redden would be a lateral move if not a downgrade.

Sutter also visited GM Paul Holmgren of the Flyers but do not expect a Phaneuf for Jeff Carter swap as Dustin Leed of The Hockey Guys mentions seemingly every week.

Phaneuf currently ties Mark Giordano for the most points by a Flames defenseman, meaning he should be their goto offensive player but could be replaced. Couple that with the struggles of Jay Bouwmeester, who in his first season in Calgary seems to need more minutes in order to play a more effective game.

As of this writing only Brad Richards exchanged teams with a contract exceeding 6 million dollars and one year remaining since the lockout. Richards in his own right plays a top line center position and already won the Conn Smythe Trophy. The players moved for him seem minimal to what he could fetch without a salary cap, which should be a similar predicament for Phaneuf. The latter holds a 6.5 million dollar cap hit through 2014.

At this point there is no possible way to gage what Phaneuf will go for. His presence signifies a constant distraction which urges Sutter to move the player. I could see a team like Toronto, with cap space and budget space, able to swing a deal if they possessed the correct pieces.

The team acquiring him would have to believe this defender will be a cornerstone of their franchise, opposed to a 40 point player with defensive lapses and attitude problems. If they believe the former, the Flames will move him for the value their deem fair and everybody wins. Still in this cap era, nobody really wins.

Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Editor
amonaghan@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @NHLHotStove