Patience is a advantage for teams dealing their leading man. Without it,some franchises set themselves up for years of painIt wasn’t a shock when the Toronto Maple Leafs made a big deal in advance of the NHL’s 29 February trade deadline. The rebuild is in full-effect and with nine UFA’s, the Leafs roster was built for deadline day.
But the shock came in the big piece moving out of Toronto: captain Dion Phaneuf, or in the second season of a seven-year,$49m deal. Phaneuf had previously expressed interest in being fraction of the long rebuild and fresh coach Mike Babcock had said he’s “a fan” of the defenseman. Even if he didn’t precisely fit the “speed and skill mantra that the Leafs were moving towards, the rave reviews he drew from team-mates on his locker room personality justified wearing the “C” until 2021.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com