Dion Phaneuf
Dion Phaneuf was drafted ninth overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames and completed his run in the Western Hockey League for the Red Deer Rebels in the spring of 2005. He was named to the CHL First All-Star team for the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 seasons.
Phaneuf represented Canada at the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Helsinki, Finland and he was named to the Tournament All Star Team. The following year Phaneuf returned to the 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where the Canadians took gold for the first time in eight years. He was again awarded a spot on the Tournament All-Star Team and was named Top Defenseman of the tournament.
Phaneuf made his NHL debut on the opening night of the 2005-06 NHL season for the Flames in October of 2005. He earned the rookie of the month award for November as recognized by the NHL. In April of 2006, Phaneuf became only the third rookie defenseman to score 20 goals in a season. As well, he broke the Calgary Flames' team record for goals by a rookie defenseman.
Phaneuf is the total package in terms of a defenseman. He had speed, size and a heck of a shot. Phaneuf will by the franchise in Calgary for as long as they can keep him and is arguably the best defenseman playing in the game today. He rarely makes mistakes.
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