Ex-Leaf executive says the Oilers may be interested in Dion Phaneuf
Former Maple Leafs assistant general manager Bill Watters was interviewed on Oilers Now on Friday, and he had both an interesting rumour and some harsh words for Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf. In part, here’s what he had to say:
Dion Phaneuf should be dispatched as soon as they possibly can and the story I hear is that Edmonton’s interested and if they are tell [general manager Craig MacTavish] to take him and have fun with him. I find him to be the most overrated, undernourished hockey player in the history of the NHL and whoever made him the captain of the Maple Leafs should have been fired six years ago.
Watters further criticized Phaneuf over the course of the interview, with a particular emphasis on his character and leadership abilities, but the interesting thing from an Oilers perspective is his idea that Edmonton is interested in adding Phaneuf to their defence corps.
At first blush, it’s easy to make a case for the match between player and team. He is a legitimate top-pairing defenceman who adds size (6’3”, 214 pounds), scoring ability (scored at a 48 point pace this season), snarl and at the age of 28 is a pretty decent fit for the Oilers’ young cluster of talent.
http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2013/07/13/ex-toronto-maple-leafs-executive-says-the-edmonton-oilers-may-be-interested-in-dion-phaneuf/