Thursday night in Calgary will be more than just a game for Dion Phaneuf.
It is his first return to the place where he started his career; drafted ninth overall by the Flames in 2003, Phaneuf went on to play five seasons with the club before his trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.
He will say it's just another game, an important two points for the Leafs, and that he won't be looking at the game as anything more than just another night on the schedule. But deep down, this is more than another game for Phaneuf.
It's his return to where it all began. It's his return to the place where he developed from a determined kid looking to make his name in the NHL to a mature, respected man. And a solid hockey player.
He scored the most goals of any defenseman in the league during his time with the Flames, and though he was struggling for most of last season and the year before, he was still considered a force on the blue line.
He was much maligned during the end with the team, eventually included in a trade that sent him, along with Keith Aulie and Fredrik Sjostrom, to the Leafs in return for Mat ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Jon Neely
Dion Phaneuf’s Return to Calgary: Why the Maple Leafs Made the Right Move
December 14th, 2010 by Jon Neely Leave a reply »
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