Sutter came up short?
NHL GMs feel they could’ve given Flames more for Phaneuf
By ERIC FRANCIS
While both the Maple Leafs and the Flames accomplished plenty in the seven-player trade involving Dion Phaneuf last week, obviously not every-one’s happy about it.
Amongst those critical of the deal are a number of GMs around the league who were unaware Phaneuf was available and wished they’d been given a chance to offer up more than the Leafs did.
The general feeling amongst these executives is Flames GM Darryl Sutter didn’t come close to maximizing his returns on a deal that brought four players to Calgary.
Either way, such criticism points to how quickly and quietly Sutter moved Phaneuf from untouchable status to logical trade bait.
Now more notes, quotes and anecdotes from a sports world wondering what Flames fans plan on doing now with the thousands of mounted Phaneuf prints given as season-ticket holder gifts last month.
PARTING GIFTS
Hockey Night in Canada executives spared Albertans from Toronto’s ongoing Dion Phaneuf love-in Saturday by showing the Flames-Lightning game here. However, the nationally-televised Toronto Maple Leafs-Ottawa Senators game featured close-ups of the word ‘work’ Phaneuf has started writing on the butt-end of his stick. The Air Canada Centre announcer also went out of his way several minutes after a Leafs goal to point out Phaneuf’s first-period assist “was his first as a Leaf,” prompting a roar from the crowd. Memo to Toronto: Calgary fell in love with Phaneuf at first, too …
http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/columnists/eric_francis/2010/02/08/12786936-sun.html