Being the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs is something special and comes with a lot of responsibilities. On June 14 2010, Dion Phaneuf was named the Maple Leafs' 17th captain in team history. This was a decision that a lot of Maple Leafs fans disagreed with. GM Brian Burke saw a lot of qualities in Dion that made his decision simple of making him the Leafs captain.
Phaneuf was acquired last January in a blockbuster trade with the Calgary Flames, and immediately made an impact.The towering blue-liner threw his weight around, dropped the gloves and ate up plenty of minutes.
Burke also informed media and fans that Dion also gave the team a vocal presence on the ice and in the dressing room. Burke also mentioned the players and coaching staff liked Phaneuf's communication skills and also felt he had the traits that they wanted in a team captain.
Ron Wilson said once Dion stepped into the room there was an immediate impact amongst the players, something this team has been lacking since the departure of Mats Sundin.
Dion Phaneuf, a 25-year-old Edmonton native, said he learned a lot from Flames captain Jarome Inginla while the ...
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Article written by joe gillen
Dion Phaneuf Named Toronto Maple Leafs Captain—Was It the Right Move?
December 12th, 2010 by joe gillen Leave a reply »
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