from Tim Wharnsby of CBC,
After his overtime gaffe, in which his ill-advised pinch paved the way for David Krejci's game-winner to put the Bruins ahead three games to one in the series, Phaneuf has found himself in hostile ground with Maple Leafs fans.
His latest mistake simply magnified the fact that, in his eighth year, this hard-hitting, smooth-skating defenceman continues to make the same mistakes he did as a raw rookie with the Calgary Flames in 2005.
The 28-year-old Phaneuf has one more season left on his $6.5-million-per-year contract before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis will have to make a decision on Phaneuf in the next several weeks because a lot of the blockbusters these days are made at the NHL draft.
If the Bruins eliminate the Maple Leafs in the next few days, Nonis should take a few days to let the emotions of the playoff run subside before deciding what to do with Phaneuf. He doesn't want to make the same mistake that the Canucks did with goalie Roberto Luongo a year ago. That storyline developed into quite a mess this season.
more on the Leafs...
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