Calgary Flames Fleeced By Toronto Maple Leafs Again Dion Phaneuf Trade

Second of three Calgary Flames trade retrospects that happened around the end of January. I take a look back on the time the Calgary Flames traded Dion Phaneuf to the Toronto Maple Leafs. I say this is another occasion that the Calgary Flames made a big trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs where ultimately the Calgary Flames got fleeced on the deal. I say the time when Doug Gilmour was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs from the Calgary Flames was the worst trade in franchise history. This one was still bad from a Calgary Flames point of view.

From when the Calgary Flames drafted Dion Phaneuf at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft 9th overall. Dion Phaneuf was looked upon at being a big defenseman who played like Scott Stevens that dishes out the big hits but had more offensive ability. That's what he did show in his junior hockey career with the Red Deer Rebels. Dion Phaneuf made his NHL debut with the Calgary Flames during the 2005-06 NHL season after the lockout and scored 20 goals in his rookie season being a finalist for the Calder Trophy as Top Rookie. Felt that Dion Phaneuf's best seasons in his NHL career was his first three seasons with the Calgary Flames.

Dion Phaneuf did sign a six year contract extension after his entry level deal and while he was a top four defenseman for the Calgary Flames his play did decline a bit. It was during the 2009-10 NHL season that the Calgary Flames we're hanging around with mediocrity that there was consensus that a shake up was needed to the roster. With the Calgary Flames having more depth on the blueline and rumoured issues on the team. The Calgary Flames made a seven player trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs that included Dion Phaneuf going the other way.

Trade happened on Sunday, January 31st, 2010.

To Calgary Flames:
F Matt Stajan
F Jamal Mayers
F Niklas Hagman
D Ian White

To Toronto Maple Leafs:
D Dion Phaneuf
D Keith Aulie
F Fredrik Sjostrom

When looking at the trade and the pieces involved. It looked like the Calgary Flames traded away still a budding defenseman with tons of potential for veterans that provide more offense up front. Ultimately what happened other than Matt Stajan the other pieces that the Calgary Flames received only lasted for a couple of seasons at most and didn't provide the offense that they've shown in the past. Matt Stajan ultimately was used as a bottom six forward for much of his time with the Calgary Flames but did provide leadership and a couple of great moments.

Dion Phaneuf was the best player in the trade and the Toronto Maple Leafs did get a top defenseman for the next seven seasons. Dion Phaneuf eventually was named the captain of the team but didn't step up his game from his first three seasons in Calgary. Dion Phaneuf was under more media scrutiny and the team still struggling to make the playoffs was much of his time with the team. Getting a seven year contract extension for over $7M a season didn't help things but Toronto still won this trade. The other pieces didn't pay off as much for Toronto but they still got the best player in the trade before he was traded to the Ottawa Senators.

Looking back on this trade 10 years later. I felt this was the ultimate downfall of Darryl Sutter's time as general manager and set the team back for a few seasons. Team that spent to the cap and didn't make the playoffs didn't pay off for trading away one of their best draft picks at the time. Essentially it was trading Dion Phaneuf for Matt Stajan at the end of day.

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