It is a rather select club, those who have been captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
And being a member of this exclusive club is considered such an honor, the Maple Leafs played two full seasons without anointing a new member after captain Mats Sundin left for Vancouver. They didn't deem anybody in their organization worthy -- or, perhaps ready.
Hap Day wore the "C". So did Syl Apps, Ted Kennedy, George Armstrong, Dave Keon, Darryl Sittler, Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundin.
Despite the honour, it is also not without its challenges. Sittler battled management on behalf of the players and ultimately resigned as captain. He was subsequently traded.
On June 14, 2010, Toronto announced one of the worst-kept secrets ever when Dion Phaneuf was named the 18th captain in club history. Acquired midway through the previous season from the Calgary Flames, Phaneuf instantly became a vocal leader in the dressing room and was the obvious choice to be the team's captain.
It is an honour he does not take lightly as he enters his second season in the role, trying to lead a team to the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
"It's a huge honour to be the captain of this organization, Phaneuf said, "with the history and the great captains that have come before me. When I was named it was a big honour."
When Phaneuf speaks publicly, he often comes across as reserved and calculated. Away from the bright lights of the media, however, he is quite engaging and very passionate about his team. There are those who worried that being captain of the most covered team in hockey might be a burden for a young player, and that the then 25-year-old would be better off concentrating on trying to find his offensive game that appeared to have abandoned him.
Phaneuf broke into the NHL as a teenage scoring whiz with the Flames, scoring 20 goals in his rookie season and following that up with back-to-back 17-goal campaigns. He was also considered one of the best and most punishing open-ice hitters in the league. Since then, Phaneuf's goal-scoring has dwindled. He had 11 in his final full season with the Flames and then had 12 in 2009-10 split between Calgary and Toronto.
If you want to get Phaneuf riled, then mention his drop off in production. And then duck.
"I'm still the same player that I have always been," said Phaneuf, seemingly a little perturbed at his interviewer. "I didn't put the puck in the net as many times as I did before, but last year I didn't play as many games. I was hurt for a quarter of the season. That's not making an excuse; that's calling a spade a spade. I'm not worried one bit. I feel good and I am looking forward to the year. I know I can produce. It's tough to put up the same numbers when you miss a quarter of the year. I'm not worried."
Phaneuf missed 16 games after suffering a nasty cut on his leg upon being clipped by the skate of Ottawa's Peter Regin. Even upon return it took him a while to find his game in a year when he finished with eight goals and 30 points in 66 games.
So is being captain of the Maple Leafs too big a chore for a young player…a young captain on a young team? Phaneuf balks at that notion, even though the case could be made that being captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs gets tougher with each passing year the team doesn't make the playoffs.
"There's no burden with a young team," Phaneuf stated. "I've said it before; we have a lot of leaders in this room. It's not just one guy or the guys that wear the letters. Every guy leads in their own way and every guy brings a little different style of leadership. I think that's what makes a real good team; when every guy has input and every guy contributes. It's been a great room to be a part of and a great guy to lead. I lead by the way I play. I want to be a guy that works hard day in and day out in practices and games. I know that I do that. I'm really excited to get the year going."
For the Rest of the article Click Here!
And being a member of this exclusive club is considered such an honor, the Maple Leafs played two full seasons without anointing a new member after captain Mats Sundin left for Vancouver. They didn't deem anybody in their organization worthy -- or, perhaps ready.
Hap Day wore the "C". So did Syl Apps, Ted Kennedy, George Armstrong, Dave Keon, Darryl Sittler, Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundin.
Despite the honour, it is also not without its challenges. Sittler battled management on behalf of the players and ultimately resigned as captain. He was subsequently traded.
On June 14, 2010, Toronto announced one of the worst-kept secrets ever when Dion Phaneuf was named the 18th captain in club history. Acquired midway through the previous season from the Calgary Flames, Phaneuf instantly became a vocal leader in the dressing room and was the obvious choice to be the team's captain.
It is an honour he does not take lightly as he enters his second season in the role, trying to lead a team to the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
"It's a huge honour to be the captain of this organization, Phaneuf said, "with the history and the great captains that have come before me. When I was named it was a big honour."
When Phaneuf speaks publicly, he often comes across as reserved and calculated. Away from the bright lights of the media, however, he is quite engaging and very passionate about his team. There are those who worried that being captain of the most covered team in hockey might be a burden for a young player, and that the then 25-year-old would be better off concentrating on trying to find his offensive game that appeared to have abandoned him.
Phaneuf broke into the NHL as a teenage scoring whiz with the Flames, scoring 20 goals in his rookie season and following that up with back-to-back 17-goal campaigns. He was also considered one of the best and most punishing open-ice hitters in the league. Since then, Phaneuf's goal-scoring has dwindled. He had 11 in his final full season with the Flames and then had 12 in 2009-10 split between Calgary and Toronto.
If you want to get Phaneuf riled, then mention his drop off in production. And then duck.
"I'm still the same player that I have always been," said Phaneuf, seemingly a little perturbed at his interviewer. "I didn't put the puck in the net as many times as I did before, but last year I didn't play as many games. I was hurt for a quarter of the season. That's not making an excuse; that's calling a spade a spade. I'm not worried one bit. I feel good and I am looking forward to the year. I know I can produce. It's tough to put up the same numbers when you miss a quarter of the year. I'm not worried."
Phaneuf missed 16 games after suffering a nasty cut on his leg upon being clipped by the skate of Ottawa's Peter Regin. Even upon return it took him a while to find his game in a year when he finished with eight goals and 30 points in 66 games.
So is being captain of the Maple Leafs too big a chore for a young player…a young captain on a young team? Phaneuf balks at that notion, even though the case could be made that being captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs gets tougher with each passing year the team doesn't make the playoffs.
"There's no burden with a young team," Phaneuf stated. "I've said it before; we have a lot of leaders in this room. It's not just one guy or the guys that wear the letters. Every guy leads in their own way and every guy brings a little different style of leadership. I think that's what makes a real good team; when every guy has input and every guy contributes. It's been a great room to be a part of and a great guy to lead. I lead by the way I play. I want to be a guy that works hard day in and day out in practices and games. I know that I do that. I'm really excited to get the year going."
For the Rest of the article Click Here!
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