Flames All-Time Countdown Chapter CXXXIV: 13. Dion Phaneuf

13. Dion Phaneuf

Dion Phaneuf was born on April 10th, 1985 in Edmonton, Alberta. A 6’3", 214 lb. defenseman, he had scored 21 goals with 26 assists and 355 penalty minutes in 138 games over two seasons with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels when he was drafted. Calgary chose him in the first round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft with the ninth overall selection.

Phaneuf spent two more seasons with the Rebels, totaling 43 goals, 56 assists, and 199 penalty minutes in 117 games. During his time with the WHL outfit, he also played in 70 playoff games, lighting the lamp 10 times with 22 assists.
As a rookie in 2005-06, Phaneuf joined the Flames out of camp and played in all 82 games, averaging 21:44 per night. He led the blue line and ranked third on the team with 49 points, finishing third in the season ending vote for the Calder Memorial Trophy and getting named an NHL All-Rookie First Teamer. He scored 20 goals on 242 shots with 29 assists, a plus-5 rating, and a team-third 93 penalty minutes. He led all skaters with a 10.3 point share, seven game winning markers, and 33 power play points (16 goals, 17 assists). He had 11 multipoint games through the year, including on November 7th, when he had two assists and scored the game winning goal with less than three minutes left in regulation of a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames went 46-25-11, earning 103 points and the Northwest Division title. They lost in seven games of the opening round of the postseason to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Phaneuf had one goal and a team-worst minus-8 rating.

In 2006-07, Phaneuf ranked fifth on the Flames and again led the defensive corps with 50 points. He led all skaters with 25:40 average time on ice, appearing in 79 contests and in his first all-star game. He scored 17 goals on 230 shots with 33 helpers. He had a plus-12 rating and led the club with 98 penalty minutes. He also ranked first on the blue line with 8.8 point shares. He had nine more multipoint games, including on October 17th in a 5-4 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, when he scored a goal with two assists. Calgary went 43-29-10 in the regular season, but lost in six games to the Detroit Red Wings in the opening round of the playoffs.

Phaneuf had more than his share of highlights with the Flames:

2007-08 would see Phaneuf place second in the running for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, annually presented to the NHL’s best all-around defenseman (Niklas Lidstrom won it). He appeared in his second consecutive all-star contest, and scored a career high 60 points while playing in all 82 games. He led Calgary with 26:25 average time on ice, scoring 17 goals on 263 shots along with a team second 43 assists, a plus-12 rating, and a team-leading 182 penalty minutes. He all ranked second amongst all skaters with an 11.2 point share. His 33 power play points (10 goals, 23 assists) tied Jarome Iginla for the team lead. He had 13 multiple point games, including four where he collected three or more. On December 13th, he earned five assists in a 9-6 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team posted a 42-30-10 overall record, finishing third in the Northwest Division before losing to the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the playoffs in seven games. Phaneuf scored three goals with four assists through the series.

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY hit harder than Phaneuf:

Phaneuf played a team-best 26:32 per game over his 80 appearances for the Flames in 2008-09. He was fifth on the team with 47 points, on 11 goals and 36 assists. He also posted a minus-11 rating and a team-third 100 penalty minutes. He ranked second on the club with four game winners. As in every season that preceded it, his shot percentage decreased, all the way down to 4% on his 277 shots. He had 10 multi point games. On December 5th, he assisted on every Calgary goal in a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. He had a goal and two assists in an 8-6 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Flames closed out the campaign at 46-30-8, losing in the first round of the postseason to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. Phaneuf earned three assists in the series, playing in five.

Phaneuf played in 55 contests for the Flames in 2009-10, scoring 10 goals on 138 shots with 12 assists, a plus-3 rating, and 83 penalty minutes in 23:14 per game. On January 31st, the Flames traded him with Fredrik Sjosstrom and Keith Aulie to the Leafs for Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers, and Ian White. He has played the last four and a half seasons with Toronto, with 39 goals, 104 assists, and 423 penalty minutes in 302 games. He will be entering into the first year of a seven-year, $49 million contract to remain with Toronto for the foreseeable future.

All-Time Statline: 378 games, 75 goals, 153 assists, plus-19 rating, 522 penalty minutes, 43.49 point shares.