Fans of the Detroit Red Wings may say, "Heck no" when it comes to the notion of a Dion Phaneuf trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but that hasn't stopped Wings GM Ken Holland and Leafs GM Dave Nonis from continually discussing the possibility.
In fact, with the NHL trade deadline looming large at 3 p.m., talks between the two teams on the big defender continue, according to a report from Gord Miller of TSN.
Ken Campbell of The Hockey News reports that the Leafs are expected to ask for defenseman Brendan Smith as well as Stephen Weiss, with Toronto assuming the financial obligation for the remainder of Phaneuf's deal.
There were rumored conversations between the two sides regarding the Leafs captain earlier in the season, met mostly with derision.
Holland has long sought a right-handed defenseman - Phaneuf, of course, shoots left.
He's also an older player - 29 - with a major cap hit - $7 million - and extensive term left on his deal - seven seasons.
He's also a slower player with limited offensive upside, but he brings a strong veteran presence and could slide into a second-unit role with the Wings.
The fit is debatable, but there's no doubt Mike Babcock could make it work.
What would be truly questionable about a Phaneuf to the Wings deal is the price tag, expected to be quite heavy.
The Wings have already made it known that they're not open to moving top prospects Dylan Larkin or Anthony Mantha. It also seems unlikely that the notoriously draft-and-development focused Holland would be open to moving the team's first-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Still, the talks continue and in what has already been a busy NHL trade deadline, could very well lead to a deal.
This article has been updated.
