It didn't take long for that "chatter" involving Dion Phaneuf to turn into a trade. On Tuesday, the Ottawa Senators announced that they had acquired Phaneuf in a nine player trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
TRADE: The #Sens acquire defenceman Dion Phaneuf from Toronto in nine-player trade
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 9, 2016
Amazingly, the Leafs managed to get out from under Phaneuf's contract, which has five years remaining at a $7 million cap hit, without retaining any salary.
"The Ottawa Senators (@Senators) announced today that the club has acquired defenceman Dion Phaneuf, forward Matt Frattin, forward Casey Bailey, forward Ryan Rupert and defence prospect Cody Donaghey from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenceman Jared Cowen, forwards Colin Greening, Milan Michalek and Tobias Lindberg as well as Ottawa's second-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. No salary will be retained by either team over the trade's entirety," the Sen's release announcing the move reads.
Talk that Phaneuf could be traded began to swirl in the minutes prior to the annoucement, as TSN's Bob McKenzie indicated that he was hearing the big blueliner was involved in "trade chatter." The Senators were among the teams said to be interested, as noted by the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch, but Phaneuf's contract was viewed as a likely impediment to a deal.
Instead, the Leafs and Senators came together on a trade that frees Ottawa of struggling players like Greening and Cowen and allowed Toronto to escape Phaneuf's unwieldy contract as they kick off their rebuild. Both teams will benefit, but the Leafs moving Phaneuf without paying any excess money, while also receiving Lindberg and a second-round pick is a coup for a franchise that has too long struggled.
It looks like the new era of Maple Leafs hockey is begun.
