via cdn.bleacherreport.net

In 10 days Dion Phaneuf will have been a Leaf for one year.  In his tenure here he has amassed 56GP-3G-16A-19PTS-91PIM, but far and above the stats is the Captaincy he holds after a long vacancy and the intangability of intangibles.  I'm sure it's not the start he wanted, and I know it's not the start we wanted, cap space and salary aside.  My concerns are many, from his inability to score (let alone hit the net) to his failure to lift the team or provide the spark a captain should.

Remembering back to the first time I heard about yet another blockbuster deal with the Calgary Flames.  My pulse quickened, the excitement rose from within, "Finally a proper mentor for our young and impressionable defense!"  He hits, he has a connon, he can fight, and you always know when he's on the ice.

Somewhere along the way from the Dion I thought we traded for to the one we got, something happened.  I don't want to speculate what, but he IS different. He's tentative, he's nervous, he reminds me of the pre and post Lucic Mike Komisarek.  Did someone hand him his ass?  It can't still be the shock of the trade?  Is it too much pressure with that "C"?

I might be a bit biased but I think Luke Schenn is acting more like a Captain than you are Dion.  Don't get me wrong, Dion has done wonders for the room but frankly it's not enough without  leading by example.   Maybe a pairing swap of Tomas Kaberle with Francois Beauchemin?  Happy Trails can stay at home or take the point feed from Kaberle.  Because Phaneuf and Schenn may well feed off of each other if not complement each other.  Am I the only one who sees this?

What I'm getting at is, Should we consider moving Phaneuf?  I'm not so sure this is a slump, this might just be all there is to this guy, and if that's the case we can do with out.  Where are the hits DIon?  and the cannon clearly needs it's sights adjusted.  The glass at the ACC can't take much more of this.

There, I said it.