The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation (92nd season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL), and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association (NHA). It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, all the way up to early June 2010. A mid-season break from February 15 to February 28 occurred to allow participation of NHL players in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Because of the Winter Olympics break, there was no NHL All-Star Game for 2010. The Stanley Cup Final ended on June 9, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.

League business[link]

Salary cap[link]

The salary cap was only increased a small amount for 2009–10 season. It was set at $56.8 million, which is $100,000 higher than in the 2008–09 season. The salary floor was $40.8 million.^[1]

Entry Draft[link]

The Entry Draft was held June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The New York Islanders chose John Tavares with the first overall pick. Other notable picks were Matt Duchene, Victor Hedman, Evander Kane and Brayden Schenn.

New uniforms[link]

Several teams (Calgary, Minnesota, Nashville, Florida, and Colorado) debuted new third uniforms this season, while Philadelphia and Edmonton made their third uniform their primary home jersey, and Chicago made the jersey they wore for the previous season's Winter Classic their new alternate. The New Jersey Devils announced plans to play one game (March 17 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the first anniversary of Martin Brodeur's record breaking 552nd win) wearing their 1982–1992 uniforms, albeit transferred onto the league's current RBK Edge jersey template. In addition, NHL officials had new uniforms, which debuted at the 2009 All-Star Game.

Television dispute[link]

Prior to the season, a contract dispute between Versus (the NHL cable carrier for the United States) and satellite television supplier DirecTV blacked out Versus for 14 million satellite subscribers. Versus was restored to DirecTV in March 2010.^[2] While negotiations were secret, it was reported by the media that the dispute was over the 'slotting' of Versus with other channels. Versus was restored to DirecTV in the same tier of channels as the previous season. Versus President Jamie Davis confirmed that the dispute was necessary to get "the same level of distribution we had prior to be taken off the air".^[3]

Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy and sale[link]

The Phoenix Coyotes' holding company, Dewey Ranch Hockey LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In a statement, Moyes announced that he had agreed in principle to sell the team to PSE Sports and Entertainment, headed by Research in Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie, for $212.5 million.^[4] As part of the deal, Balsillie intended to move the Coyotes to Hamilton, Ontario.^[5] Although initial reports said that Balsillie was considering Kitchener as well,^[6] Hamilton already has an NHL-sized arena in place, Copps Coliseum, and Balsillie was already in talks with city officials to secure a lease for the arena.^[5] Hamilton had previously bid for an NHL team in the 1990s, narrowly losing out to Ottawa. Balsillie had previously made unsuccessful approaches to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators, with the intent of relocating either team to Hamilton.^[7]

The NHL opposed the bankruptcy and the matter went to Phoenix bankruptcy court. Two other potential bidders for the team emerged, Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago White Sox and Ice Edge Holdings. Bankruptcy hearings were held from May until September. Reinsdorf and Ice Edge did not bid for the team, and the NHL put in the only rival bid for the team at court.

In September, a Phoenix bankruptcy court rejected offers from the NHL and Jim Balsillie, ending Balsillie's plan to move the Coyotes to Hamilton, Ontario. The NHL's offer was rejected because it left out creditors Jerry Moyes and Wayne Gretzky. On Balsillie's offer, Judge Redfield T. Baum refused to sanction the use of bankruptcy to force relocation of a franchise on a league. Gretzky, who was head coach of the team for the previous four seasons, stayed away from training camp and was replaced. The Coyotes played their first home game to a sell-out; however, attendance was lower at other games in the month of October. Later in the month, the NHL and Moyes came to a tentative agreement to transfer ownership of the Coyotes to the NHL.

In December, the NHL announced that Ice Edge Holdings, a partnership of Canadians and Phoenix-area businessmen, had signed a letter of intent with the NHL to purchase the Coyotes. Ice Edge, which plans to keep the team in Phoenix, plans to play five Coyotes home games in Saskatoon each season as part of a five-year plan to return the Coyotes to profitability. Ice Edge would still have to negotiate a lease agreement with the City of Glendale, and have its ownership approved by the NHL Board of Governors.^[8]

On March 6, the NHL launched a lawsuit for $61 million against former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes to recover $10 million in bankruptcy court costs, $20 million in losses for 2009–10 and $11.6 million owed to creditors.^[9] Three weeks later, the Coyotes clinched their first playoff berth since 2002.^[10]

On April 13, Glendale, Arizona City Council approved a lease and sale agreement with Jerry Reinsdorf to take over the Coyotes and their lease of the Jobing.Com Arena. The Council rejected the Ice Edge group. The agreement will create a special tax district surrounding the arena. Businesses in that district will pay $47 million annually to support the team. The agreement gives Reinsdorf the option to move the team after five years if revenues are not up to expectations. Former Coyotes CEO Jeff Shumway criticized the deal, saying that the team would not have gone bankrupt if the same deal had been available two years earlier. Reinsdorf's bid, which will pay the NHL $65 million for the team, has to be approved by the league board of governors.^[11]

Preseason[link]

The 2009–10 preseason for most teams started on September 14, 2009.

2009 Kraft Hockeyville[link]

Since 2006, Kraft Foods has sponsored a sweepstakes called Kraft Hockeyville, in which various small cities across Canada compete against each other with the hopes of winning the privilege of having an NHL pre-season game played in a local sports complex or arena, along with a hockey festival named the Stanley Cup Jamboree. The 2009 winner was the city of Terrace, British Columbia. The pre-season matchup was between the home town favorite Vancouver Canucks and the New York Islanders.

Victoria Cup[link]

The Victoria Cup, which was held in Zurich, Switzerland on September 29, 2009, just prior to the regular-season games, was contested between ZSC Zurich Lions and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks. The game was won by Zurich 2-1.

Regular season[link]

Four teams (Blackhawks, Blues, Panthers and Red Wings) began their season in the NHL Premiere series, each playing two regular-season games in Europe. The Red Wings played the Blues in Stockholm, Sweden at Ericsson Globe while the Blackhawks and Panthers played in Helsinki, Finland at Hartwall Areena on October 2 and October 3.^[12] This is the second-straight season that Sweden has hosted an NHL regular season game, and the third season of the Premiere series, in which NHL regular season games are held in Europe. Unlike in previous years, the European games are not the inaugural games, as the regular season began October 1 in North America.

The Avalanche, picked by many in the media^[who?] to finish last in the Western Conference, instead roared to a 10–2–2 mark for the month of October to lead the Western Conference, partly on the strong play of Craig Anderson in net and rookies Ryan O'Reilly and Matt Duchene. The Coyotes, who were also not expected^{[citation needed]} to make the playoffs, started strongly. The team had signed some veterans and demoted some young players to the minors. The Coyotes surprised the Stanley Cup champion Penguins 3–0 in Pittsburgh.

In the Eastern Conference, the Penguins had the best record after the first month. Teams playing at a higher level than predicted included the Sabres, which led the Northeast Division through most of October. On the other end of the scale, 2009 Conference finalist Hurricanes had a 2–8–3 record for October, the worst in franchise history.^{[citation needed]}

In early November, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce released a report detailing how the Blue Jackets were losing $12 million per year.^{[citation needed]} According to The Columbus Dispatch, the team's ownership is not prepared to continue funding the 'structural problem'. The Blue Jackets spend $5 million annually in arena rent, and lose around $4 million per year on events at the Nationwide Arena.^{[citation needed]} The arena district is estimated to provide $30 million in taxes.^{[citation needed]} The report by Stephen A. Buser, suggests some options including the use of local and state taxes.^[13]

Two streaks came to an end in November. The Devils won nine games in a row on the road to start the season, one short of the league record set in the 2006–07 season by the Sabres, before losing in Philadelphia to the Flyers. The Hurricanes lost a franchise-high 14 games in a row before defeating the Wild in a shootout on November 15. The streak included overtime and shootout losses.

The 2009 flu pandemic hit the Oilers hard with several players out for stretches in October. The Flames received their flu shots ahead of the general public, causing an Alberta health official to be fired.^{[citation needed]} The Maple Leafs and the Canucks teams both had members of their staff "jump the queue" and receive flu shots ahead of the general public and were criticized in the media.

In December, Shane Doan of the Coyotes played his 1,000th game in a 2–1 shootout win over the Blue Jackets. On December 21, New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur recorded his 104th shutout, breaking a record set by Terry Sawchuk during the 1969–70 NHL season.^[14]

Three head coaches lost their positions in mid-season. Despite being early favorites for the Stanley Cup, the Philadelphia Flyers were 13-11-1 and 10th in the Eastern Conference when John Stevens was fired on December 4, 2009.^[15] On January 2, 2010, the Blues fired coach Andy Murray. In 2008–09, the Blues had made the playoffs but struggled during 2009–10. Davis Payne was named interim head coach.^[16] One month later, on February 3, 2010, the Blue Jackets, unhappy with their slide in the standings after a good start, fired defensive-minded coach Ken Hitchcock. Although the slide had started months previous, team management had given time to Hitchcock to resolve the situation before firing him.^[17]

Player trades started in earnest a month before the March 3, 2010 trade deadline. On January 31, the Maple Leafs made two large trades, getting Dion Phaneuf from the Flames in a seven-player trade, and J. S. Giguere from the Ducks for two players. The Flames were not done, trading Olli Jokinen to the Rangers the next day. After top scorer and pending free agent Ilya Kovalchuk turned down a $101 million contract offer from the Thrashers, he was traded to the Devils on February 4.^[18]

On February 5, Boston investment banker Jeff Vinik agreed to buy the Lightning from owners OK Hockey, headed by Oren Koules and Len Barrie. The sale price was not disclosed, although the media speculated it was much less than the US$206 million that OK Hockey paid. The purchase is contingent on the approval of the NHL Board of Governors.^[19]

On February 8, Canadiens' general manager (GM) Bob Gainey announced his retirement as GM, staying on as advisor to the club. Assistant GM Pierre Gauthier became the interim GM. Gauthier and coach Jacques Martin held the same positions with the Senators in the late 1990s.^[20]

From 3 pm EST on February 12 until 11:59 pm on Feb. 28, teams were not permitted to make any trades, since many NHL players were competing at the 2010 Winter Olympics.^[21] The March 3 trade deadline produced 31 trades involving 55 players, the largest number in NHL history.^{[citation needed]} The most active team was the Coyotes, who were involved in seven deals. Unlike previous seasons, the Coyotes were in a playoff position at the trade deadline and were "buyers" of players rather than "sellers" (that is, they were looking to acquire key players to give the team a chance in the playoffs, rather than trading away players to other teams seeking playoff success). Only the Dallas Stars and Philadelphia Flyers did not make any trades between March 1 (after the Olympic roster freeze was lifted) and the trade deadline on March 3 at 3:00 pm EST.^{[citation needed]}

Final standings[link]

GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime/Shootout Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points

bold – Qualified for playoffs; y – Won division

Eastern Conference[link]

p – Won Presidents' Trophy (and division)

bold – Qualified for playoffs; y – Won division; p – Won Presidents' Trophy (and division)

AT - Atlantic Division, NE - Northeast Division, SE - Southeast Division

Western Conference[link]

bold – Qualified for playoffs; y – Won division; z – Won conference (and division)

Tiebreaking procedures[link]

If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the ranking of the clubs is determined in the following order: ^[23]

1. The fewer number of games played.
2. The greater number of games won.
3. The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing.
4. The greater differential between goals for and against for the entire regular season.

Special events[link]

The Avalanche retired 19, the number of Joe Sakic, at their home opener on October 1. The Canadiens celebrated their centennial on December 4 and retired the number 3 for Emile Bouchard and number 16 for Elmer Lach (which was already previously retired for Henri Richard). The Phoenix Coyotes retired 27, the number of Teppo Numminen at their home game, in that game Sami Lepistö scored his first NHL goal on January 30, 2010.

Winter Classic[link]

On July 15, 2009, the NHL announced that the third installment of the Winter Classic would take place on January 1, 2010, at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts with the Bruins hosting the Flyers. Because the NHL will not host an All-Star Game in the 2009–10 season due to the 2010 Olympics, this became the league's showcase event. The Bruins won the game 2–1 in overtime. Marco Sturm scored the game-winning overtime goal, after the Bruins were initially down 1–0 in regulation. After the game, the roster of the United States men's hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics was released, which included Bruins' goaltender Tim Thomas.

Olympics[link]

The NHL did not hold an All-Star Game this season. Instead, many of the league's players participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. The Olympic men's ice hockey tournament ran from February 16 to February 28, 2010. It was the first time since the NHL allowed its players to compete in the Olympics that the Winter Olympics were held in an NHL market, as well as the first to use an NHL-sized ice rink (as opposed to the bigger one normally used for international play). General Motors Place, the Canucks' home arena, was the primary ice hockey venue for the Olympics, and was formally called "Canada Hockey Place". The temporary name change reflects the International Olympic Committee policy against selling or promoting naming rights for its competition venues. Another example of this policy is that the ice surface and dasher boards had their advertisements removed.^[24] The Canadian team won gold, the American team won silver, and the Finnish team won bronze. At the end of the tournament, United States goaltender Ryan Miller was named Tournament MVP.

In order to prepare General Motors Place for the Olympics, the Canucks were required to face the longest road trip in NHL history, playing 14 straight road games from January 27 to March 13, 2010^[24][25]

Playoffs[link]

The Stanley Cup

After the regular season, the standard of 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Washington Capitals won the Presidents' Trophy for having the best record in the league, at 121 points. Division champions maintain their relative ranking during the entire playoffs while the remaining teams get reseeded below them after each round.

These playoffs featured a rare event in professional sports, as the Flyers emerged from trailing three games to none against the Boston Bruins, and then after trailing three goals to none in game seven, they came back to win game seven and the series 4-3.

Stanley Cup Final[link]

The Chicago Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup since 1961, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games. Their overtime win in Game 6 marked the first time that the Cup to be won in overtime since the New Jersey Devils in 2000.

Playoff bracket[link]

In each round, the highest remaining seed in each conference is matched against the lowest remaining seed. The higher-seeded team is awarded home ice advantage. In the Stanley Cup Finals, home ice was determined based on regular season points. Each best-of-seven series follows a 2–2–1–1–1 format: the higher-seeded team played at home for games one and two (plus five and seven if necessary), and the lower-seeded team was at home for games three and four (and if necessary, game six). This was determined on April 11.

• During the first three rounds home ice is determined by seeding number, not position on the bracket. In the Finals the team with the better regular season record has home ice.

NHL awards[link]

Player statistics[link]

Scoring leaders[link]

The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the regular season. GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Source: NHL^[26]

Leading goaltenders[link]

The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average at the end of the regular season.^[27]

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Milestones[link]

First games[link]

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 2009–10, listed with their first team:

• John Tavares, New York Islanders
• Tyler Myers, Buffalo Sabres
• Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings
• Matt Duchene, Colorado Avalanche
• Evander Kane, Atlanta Thrashers
• Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

Last games[link]

• Rob Blake, San Jose Sharks^[28]
• Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes^[29]
• Chris Chelios, Atlanta Thrashers^[30]
• Pavol Demitra, Vancouver Canucks (death)^[31]
• Bill Guerin, Pittsburgh Penguins^[32]
• Paul Kariya, St. Louis Blues^[33]
• Georges Laraque, Montreal Canadiens
• Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars^[34]
• Kirk Maltby, Detroit Red Wings^[35]
• Brad May, Detroit Red Wings^[36]
• Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Ducks
• Owen Nolan, Minnesota Wild^[37]
• Darryl Sydor, St. Louis Blues^[38]
• Keith Tkachuk, St. Louis Blues^[39]
• Darcy Tucker, Colorado Avalanche^[40]
• Aaron Ward, Anaheim Ducks^[41]

Hat tricks[link]

See also[link]

• 2009–10 NHL transactions
• 2009–10 NHL suspensions and fines
• 2009 NHL Entry Draft
• 2009 in sports
• 2010 in sports
• List of 2009–10 NHL Three Star Awards
• 2009–10 NHL attendance statistics

References[link]

• Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto, ON: Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5. 

Notes

External links[link]

• NHL.com
• 2009–10 NHL season at Hockey Reference
• 2009–10 NHL season at ESPN
• Hockey Database

Dion Phaneuf
Born	(1985-04-10) April 10, 1985 (age 27) Edmonton, AB, CAN
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight	218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Toronto Maple Leafs Calgary Flames
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	9th overall, 2003 Calgary Flames
Playing career	2005–present

Dion Phaneuf (born April 10, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. He was drafted ninth overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames, and made his NHL debut in 2005 after a four year junior career with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League in which he was twice named the Defenceman of the Year. He set a Flames record for most goals by a first-year defenceman and was named a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy as top rookie in 2005–06. Two years later, he was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as top defenceman, though he did not win either award. Phaneuf is a three-time NHL All-Star. He has represented Canada internationally four times in his career, winning silver and gold medals at the World Junior Hockey Championship in 2004 and 2005 respectively, and a gold medal at the 2007 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.

Phaneuf is active in the community; the Flames honoured Phaneuf for his role as an ambassador to the Alberta Children's Hospital where he participated in events that help sick and injured children during his time in Calgary.^{[citation needed]}

Early life[link]

Dion Phaneuf was born April 10, 1985 in Edmonton, Alberta. He is the son of Paul, in construction, and Amber, a nurse.^[1] Dion attended Harry Ainlay Composite High School. He has a younger brother, Dane, who currently plays for the P.E.I. Rocket of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).^[2] Phaneuf's parents describe their family as being close-knit, as Phaneuf kept in close touch with his family as he embarked on his own junior career.^[3]

Phaneuf's father maintained a backyard rink each winter that the young Phaneuf practiced on. His mother, a former figure skater who competed for Prince Edward Island at the 1975 Canada Winter Games, taught him to skate.^[1] Phaneuf also practiced his shot relentlessly in the basement of his family's home, frequently breaking the nets his father bought.^[3]

Playing career[link]

Junior[link]

The Red Deer Rebels selected Phaneuf in the third round of the 2000 WHL Bantam Draft.^[4] One year later, he joined the Rebels for the 2001–02 WHL season and recorded 17 points in 67 games.^[5] He added two assists in 21 games as the Rebels lost in the WHL final against the Kootenay Ice.^[6] He improved to 16 goals and 30 points in 2002–03 as the Rebels again reached the WHL finals, again losing, this time to the Kelowna Rockets.^[5][6] Phaneuf's development earned him comparisons to Hall of Famer Scott Stevens, as he was lauded by scouts for his physical style and ability to excel both defensively and offensively.^[7] Calgary Flames general manager Darryl Sutter valued Phaneuf so highly in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft that he attempted to trade up from his ninth overall selection in the draft to no avail.^[8] Sutter was unable to complete a trade, but was still able to select Phaneuf with his first selection in the draft.^[9]

Phaneuf established himself as one of junior hockey's top players following the draft, improving to 42 points in 62 games,^[5] and earning the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the top defenceman in the WHL.^[10] He was also named an Eastern Conference All-Star by the WHL, and a First Team All-Star by the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).^[5] He was considered a candidate to join the Flames in 2004, however the 2004–05 NHL lockout forced Phaneuf to play one final year of junior hockey.^[11] He scored 56 points in 55 games to finish his junior career with 146 points.^[5] He repeated as the WHL's defenceman of the year, and was again named to both WHL and CHL All-Star Teams.^[5] Prospects Hockey rated Phaneuf as the top player in the CHL in both 2004 and 2005, ahead of Sidney Crosby, naming him one of the best junior defencemen of the previous decade.^[12]

Calgary Flames[link]

Phaneuf while playing with the Flames in 2008

Phaneuf joined the Flames for the 2005–06 NHL season after signing his first professional contract in September 2005.^[13] He made his NHL debut on October 5, 2005 against the Minnesota Wild. Five nights later, he scored his first career goal, assist and points against the Colorado Avalanche. He was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for November after leading all rookie defencemen with nine points and two game winning goals.^[14] By January, Phaneuf was being named alongside Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin as a candidate for the NHL's top rookie.^[15] He finished the season with 20 goals, only the third player in NHL history after Brian Leetch and Barry Beck to score 20 as a rookie defenceman.^[16] His 20 goals also broke the Flames franchise record for goals by a rookie, surpassing Gary Suter's total of 18.^[17] He was named a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy as top rookie, but lost out to Ovechkin.^[18]

A 50 point sophomore season earned Phaneuf his first NHL All-Star Game appearance in 2006–07.^[19] He participated in the hardest shot competition at the SuperSkills competition, losing to Zdeno Chara,^[20] and scored a goal and an assist in the game itself to help the Western Conference defeat the East 12–9.^[21] The Flames signed Phaneuf to a six-year, US$39 million contract extension midway through the 2007–08 season.^[22] He responded by posting a career high 60 points,^[5] and was voted into the starting lineup by the fans for the 2008 All-Star Game.^[23] Phaneuf was named to the NHL First All-Star Team following the season,^[24] and was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as defenceman of the year,^[25] losing to Niklas Lidstrom.^[26]

The 2008–09 season was a frustrating one for Phaneuf, as he recorded a career low 11 goals and 47 points,^[5] and his poor plus/minus rating of −11 led fans to question his defensive commitment.^[27] His poor season and high salary also led to speculation that Phaneuf might be traded. .^[28] In spite of his struggles, Phaneuf averaged 26 minutes and 31 seconds of ice time per game, fourth highest in the league.^[27] He missed the final game of the Flames quarter-final series against the Chicago Blackhawks with broken ribs,^[29] after battling a hip injury during the season.^[30] Flames management defended Phaneuf, claiming that the injuries he battled affected his play.^[31]

Toronto Maple Leafs[link]

On January 31, 2010, the Flames dealt Phaneuf, along with Fredrik Sjöström and Keith Aulie to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Ian White and Jamal Mayers.^[32]

On February 2, 2010, Phaneuf made his Toronto Maple Leaf debut, leading all Maple Leafs players in time on ice and ended the night with a fight and given 2nd star of the game honours. He would record his first point, an assist, four nights later in a game against the Ottawa Senators and scored his first goal as a Leaf on April 7, 2010, on Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers. Phaneuf was named an alternate captain in Toronto nine games after being acquired after Mike Komisarek suffered a season-ending injury.^[33] While Phaneuf struggled offensively to begin his tenure in Toronto – he played 25 games in Toronto before scoring his first goal – Leafs coach Ron Wilson credited him with creating a positive change in the mood in the Toronto dressing room.^[34][35]

Dion Phaneuf was named the 18th captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 14, 2010, at a press conference held by Brian Burke, succeeding Mats Sundin, who left after the 2007–08 season.^[36]

On November 2, 2010, in a game against the Ottawa Senators, Phaneuf sustained an injury in the leg by having it cut open with a skate from Peter Regin while crashing into the boards. He was carried off the ice immediately and had surgery done the same night. Phaneuf was said to be off the ice for four to six weeks,^[37] and made a return to the Leafs' lineup on Thursday December 9, 2010,^[38] a home ice game against the Philadelphia Flyers, which Philadelphia won 4 - 1, but he had 1 assist on the lone Toronto goal.^[39]

On January 5, 2012, it was announced that Phaneuf would compete in his third NHL All-Star Game, having finished second amongst all Defensemen on the fan ballot, gaining 614,933 votes, behind the Ottawa Senators Erik Karlsson.

International[link]

Medal record
Dion Phaneuf
Competitor for Canada
Men's ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Silver	2004 Helsinki	Ice hockey
Gold	2005 Grand Forks	Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold	2007 Moscow	Ice hockey

Phaneuf made his international debut for the Canadian junior team at the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Helsinki, Finland, earning a leadership role under head coach Mario Durocher.^[40] A devastating bodycheck to the Czech Republic's Rostislav Olesz led the referee to eject Phaneuf from the semi-final game, however he escaped suspension and was permitted to play in the gold medal game.^[41] The Canadians lost the final to the United States,^[42] while Phaneuf was named a tournament All-Star at defence.^[43]

The Canadian team at the 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships dominated the tournament, outscoring their opposition 35–6 in the games leading up to the gold medal match-up with Russia.^[44] Phaneuf scored a goal and threw a memorable bodycheck that knocked down two Russian players in the championship game as Canada routed the Russians 6–1 to win their first gold medal in eight years.^[45][46] He was again named a tournament All-Star,^[43] as well as being named the outstanding defenceman of the tournament.^[45] He was described as one of the most intimidating players of the tournament for a Canadian team that has been called the greatest of all-time.^[47][48]

Following the Flames' elimination in the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Phaneuf joined the Canadian senior team at the 2007 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships in Moscow.^[49] He recorded eight assists in seven games to help Canada win the gold medal over Finland.^[50] Once considered a virtual lock to join team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics,^[51] Phaneuf's struggles in the 2008–09 NHL season placed his candidacy in doubt. National team general manager Steve Yzerman continued to express confidence in Phaneuf during a summer camp held in Calgary,^[52] but Phaneuf was not among the seven defencemen selected for the team.^[53]

Playing style[link]

In junior hockey, Phaneuf was known not only for his physical presence, but also his calm demeanour and offensive ability. He was compared to Hockey Hall of Famer Scott Stevens by his former coach, Brent Sutter.^[7] Scouts praised his defensive ability, and the poise he showed at both ends of the ice.^[7] Praised for his leadership abilities, Phaneuf was named the captain of team WHL at the 2004 ATD Canada-Russia Challenge,^[54] and was counted upon to take a leadership role with the Canadian junior team at the 2004 and 2005 World Junior Championships.^[40]

Entering his sophomore season, Phaneuf's potential impact on a game was compared to that of Russian star Alexander Ovechkin,^[55] and a poll released by ESPN in 2008 revealed that 43% of players asked argued Phaneuf was the hardest hitter in hockey, at the age of 22.^[56] He was named an alternate captain by the Flames at the start of the 2008–09 season, though Brent Sutter chose to alternate amongst a group of veterans, including Phaneuf, in 2009–10.^[57]

While he earned a James Norris Memorial Trophy nomination for his defensive play in 2008, he struggled enough during the 2008–09 season that some observers began to question his defensive commitment. Phaneuf's teammates were quick to defend his play and noted that he was among the league leaders in average time on ice per game.^[27] His hitting game has also earned criticism at times. The New York Islanders were especially upset at an open-ice charge Phaneuf delivered to Kyle Okposo during a 2009 exhibition game that resulted in the latter player suffering a concussion.^[58] Phaneuf has also been criticized for occasionally refusing to fight opponents who challenge him after throwing a big hit.^[59] For his part, Phaneuf stated he does not believe that he should be forced to fight after every big hit, though he would do so when necessary. His coaches have praised Phaneuf's mentality.^[60] He has also been accused of playing "dirty" and "stupid" by opponents who feel that he occasionally takes unnecessary liberties with opposing players.^[61] A 2010 Sports Illustrated poll of 229 NHL players saw 21% of respondents name Phaneuf as the most overrated player in the league, three times as many votes as any other player. Phaneuf dismissed the poll while several of his current and former teammates expressed their disagreement with the result.^[62] As the 2011-12 season ended with Toronto again missing the playoffs, Phaneuf's ability to motivate and lead his team were brought into question.^[63]

Off the ice[link]

Phaneuf has maintained a much publicized relationship with actress Elisha Cuthbert, and the pair frequently participate in charitable events in Calgary.^[64] Their relationship became the centre of controversy when then-Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery, who had dated Cuthbert in the past, commented on how other NHL players, referring to Phaneuf, fell in love with his "sloppy seconds".^[65] Commissioner Gary Bettman referred to the remarks as "disgusting" and suspended Avery six games while the Stars cut ties with the player.^[66][67]

While with the Flames, he was the official ambassador to the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary and donated tickets to Flames games to help families at the facility.^[68] The Flames named him the recipient of the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award in 2008 in recognition of his participation with the Children's Hospital.^[69] Phaneuf has appeared on the cover of the NHL 09 video game,^[70] and played a role in NHL promotions and commercials.^[71]

Career statistics[link]

Regular season and playoffs[link]

International[link]

All-Star Games[link]

Awards and honours[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Dion Phaneuf's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Dion Phaneuf's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Dion Phaneuf at TSN.ca

Colton Orr
Born	(1982-03-03) March 3, 1982 (age 30) Winnipeg, MB, CAN
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight	222 lb (101 kg; 15 st 12 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Toronto Maple Leafs Boston Bruins New York Rangers
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2002–present

Colton Douglas Orr (born March 3, 1982) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player, currently playing in the American Hockey League for the Toronto Marlies. He is known as an enforcer (ice hockey) for his physical style of play and regularly dropping the gloves.

Playing career[link]

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Orr played junior hockeyfor the Swift Current Broncos, Kamloops Blazers and Regina Pats in Western Hockey League. Orr went undrafted and signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins. He played his first NHL game against the Washington Capitals, the only game he played in the 2003-04 NHL season. He played most of the season as well as the 2004-05 lockout season with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League, playing 125 games, scoring twelve points, and recording 536 penalty minutes.

Orr played as regular early in the 2005-06 NHL season with the Boston Bruins but was shortly waived. On November 29, 2005, the New York Rangers claimed him off waivers from the Bruins. Orr scored his first NHL point in 15 games with the Rangers, as well as dressing for one playoff game against the New Jersey Devils.

Orr saw his playing time increase over three consecutive seasons in New York, dressing in 53 in 2006-07, 74 in 2007-08, and a full 82 in 2008-09. On December 31, 2006, Orr was suspended for five games by the NHL for a cross check to the face of Washington Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin in the third period of a December 30 game at Madison Square Garden. Ovechkin was uninjured, but NHL Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell termed Orr's infraction "reckless".^[1]. Later in the season, Orr scored his first NHL goal in a February 9, 2007, game against the Tampa Bay Lightning's Johan Holmqvist and added four more goals with the Rangers along with 478 penalty minutes.

On July 1, 2009, Orr signed a four-year, $4 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Orr would finish the season with career highs in 239 penalty minutes and also 4 goals and 6 points.^[2]

His next year with the Maple Leafs was cut short after suffering a concussion in a fight with Anaheim Ducks enforcer, George Parros. Orr was out for the year and finished the season with 46 games, 2 goals and 128 penalty minutes.

Orr was declared ready to play at the start of the 2011-12 NHL season but saw a dramatically reduced role with Toronto, playing only five games, scoring one goal, and getting into one fight. On January 4, 2012, Orr was placed on waivers by the Maple Leafs, with only 1 and half years left on his contract. He was assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL the next day.^[3]. Orr played 26 games with the Marlies, scoring one goal and adding 46 penalty minutes.