Rumors: Phaneuf, Spezza on trade market

[ThomasTomasz]

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf was the latest big-name player to have his name tossed into the offseason rumor mill. Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos got the rumor mill kicking into high gear when he lumped Phaneuf in with Ottawa Senators captain Jason Spezza as being shopped by their respective clubs.

That Spezza may be on the move is hardly a surprise. The Senators need to reshuffle the deck a bit and trading a big name like Spezza for some youth wouldn't be a bad idea, considering his contract expires after next season.

It's a little more surprising that the Maple Leafs would be willing to deal a player like Phaneuf, especially after signing the captain to a seven-year extension in the middle of last season worth $49 million for an annual average of $7 million.

According to Kypreos, there is a lot of interest in Phaneuf at the right price, which is unsurprising considering he's still a high-end defenseman.

There is some dispute of Kypreos' report from TSN's Darren Dreger who took umbrage with the idea that Phaneuf is being actively shopped.

So it's possibly an issue of semantics, but the increasing smoke suggests there could be something to Phaneuf's availability on the trade market. Whether the Leafs are shopping or listening, it seems like Phaneuf could be had for the right deal.

As Kypreos notes, the Leafs are probably going to have to eat salary in order to move the 29-year-old veteran defenseman. At that point, the Leafs will have to decide just how much value they'll end up getting as part of any Phaneuf deal.

There's also the little problem that Phaneuf is the team's best defenseman and probably by a wide margin, which admittedly isn't saying a lot, but it matters. Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner definitely have bright futures, but Gardiner could also be on the way out and neither has the experience level or ability to eat high-leverage minutes like Phaneuf does yet.

The question the Maple Leafs have to ask themselves if they have any plans of dealing Phaneuf is how much restructuring they think they need to do. There's no question the roster as is probably isn't going to get the job done, certainly not on the back end. Can Toronto make meaningful improvements to their blue line by dealing their best player at the position? That's going to be extremely tough to do.

The Maple Leafs have many problems and maybe sometimes Phaneuf and his contract are part of them, but there are a host of others more pressing it would seem.

With the team bringing back head coach Randy Carlyle, there is going to have to be changes to the roster, as the coach and lineup didn't seem to mesh. Whether it was right or wrong to bring back Carlyle is now irrelevant as that ship has sailed. But will the team be able to make positive changes without harming the long-term health of the club if the goal is to fit the head coach's system? That's a risky play, especially if Carlyle ends up on a relatively short leash despite his recent contract extension.

It's going to be an awfully interesting summer for the Maple Leafs as we find out just how big a wrecking ball they take to this roster or if they do much of anything at all.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on...e-leafs-captain-dion-phaneuf-on-trading-block

 

[leaffan]

The phaneuf rumour got shut down by Dreger today who generally has a good beat on things but that could all be a smoke screen.

Either way I am really worried that they'll trade him away and have the team eat part of his salary. Could be an utter disaster. Unless they get some monster player in return I just don't see anything coming back that will be good.

 

[leaffan]

Phaneuf trade talk was on fire all over the radio this morning. I guess its really not going away now.

Spezza trade rumours are pretty good though. Friedman just said Anaheim seems to be leading while teams like Nashville and St. Louis are also very interested.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Phaneuf trade talk was on fire all over the radio this morning. I guess its really not going away now.

Spezza trade rumours are pretty good though. Friedman just said Anaheim seems to be leading while teams like Nashville and St. Louis are also very interested.

The cat is out of the bag. Since he's the biggest name on the Leafs now, I would expect that talk to continue until the season starts, or Phaneuf is indeed traded. Happens all the time.

Spezza only has a year on his contract though. It will be interesting to see who makes a move for him, more than likely one of the remaining teams that misses out on the Cup. Ottawa should have moved him at the deadline this year, if not last off-season.

 

[leaffan]

The cat is out of the bag. Since he's the biggest name on the Leafs now, I would expect that talk to continue until the season starts, or Phaneuf is indeed traded. Happens all the time.

Spezza only has a year on his contract though. It will be interesting to see who makes a move for him, more than likely one of the remaining teams that misses out on the Cup. Ottawa should have moved him at the deadline this year, if not last off-season.

They might pull a better return though by waiting till seasons end. I could see him going to the ducks or blues. Both teams are in trade off assets mode now and would be the best return for Ottawa.

Leafs who knows what they are doing. I heard San Jose was interested but outside of that its gone quiet since that first day.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

They might pull a better return though by waiting till seasons end. I could see him going to the ducks or blues. Both teams are in trade off assets mode now and would be the best return for Ottawa.

Leafs who knows what they are doing. I heard San Jose was interested but outside of that its gone quiet since that first day.

The Sharks are letting Boyle and Havlat go, and I imagine that won't be the only change. They will likely need to ditch another contract to fit Phaneuf under the cap and make other moves.

 

[leaffan]

The Sharks are letting Boyle and Havlat go, and I imagine that won't be the only change. They will likely need to ditch another contract to fit Phaneuf under the cap and make other moves.

I was reading a bit about how they are willing to give up Thornton soon and let it be Coutures team but I highly doubt the sharks make a deal around those two.

Havlat still has a year left at 5mil is he just becoming a buy out?

 

[ThomasTomasz]

I was reading a bit about how they are willing to give up Thornton soon and let it be Coutures team but I highly doubt the sharks make a deal around those two.

Havlat still has a year left at 5mil is he just becoming a buy out?

I think Thornton might be in the plans for the next year or so, but it is an aging core so they're going to have to move him eventually. You are correct, they are planning on Havlat being a compliance buyout.