TORONTO — Dion Phaneuf, a former Calgary Flames star defenceman and Toronto Maple Leafs captain, officially announced his retirement Tuesday.
Phaneuf’s announcement ends a career that spanned 14 NHL seasons. He hadn’t played since appearing in 67 games with the Los Angeles Kings in the 2018-19 season.
The Edmonton native was selected ninth overall by Calgary in the 2003 NHL draft, and was named to the league’s all-rookie team in 2005-06 when he put up 20 goals and 29 assists in 82 games. He finished third in Calder Trophy voting for the NHL’s rookie of the year.
He became a star in Calgary, known for scoring prowess from the blue line as well as dishing out punishing hits. He was named an NHL first-team all-star in 2007-08, when he had a career-high 60 points (17 goals, 43 assists) and had a plus-12 defensive rating.
Phaneuf was dealt to the Maple Leafs on Jan. 31, 2010, in a seven-player deal. He was named captain before the 2010-11 season, and held the position until he was traded to the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 9, 2016.
A three-time all-star Phaneuf had 494 points (137 goals, 357 assists) in 1,048 regular-season games with Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Los Angeles.
“As I look back, it’s hard to encapsulate and thank the great number of people who supported and guided me both as a player and a person throughout my career,” Phaneuf said in a statement. “I was very fortunate to play in the NHL for a long time.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2021.