Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Dion Phaneuf "Never Had A Chance" In Toronto

02/09/2016 at 1:18pm EST

from Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun,

From his first awkward moments as the team’s 18th captain to the brutal, bone-headed pinch on the first shift of his last game with the Leafs, Dion Phaneuf never had a chance.

Polarizing from the beginning of his captaincy, he never had a chance to live up to the great expectations Brian Burke and Ron Wilson heaped on him when they put the “C” on his sweater.

He never had a chance to win over a fan base desperate for a winner and strong leader when at the time he was a player who was tentative as a leader and tentative on the ice.

And finally, he never had a chance to live up to the big contract former general manager Dave Nonis “rewarded” him, a deal that became a burden to Toronto president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Lou Lamoriello.

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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