Phaneuf back with the Maple Leafs?!

It is a fact, former defenseman Dion Phaneuf has been seen with the Toronto Maple Leafs, however, the team is not that desperate to get help on the back end. 

The Maple Leafs have been moving pieces around on the blue line ever since they lost Jake Muzzin and Morgan Rielly to injuries, but Phaneuf has not come forward to help them in that area. Yet. 

While the former NHLer would love to get back to the ice in a defensive role, Bob McKenzie revealed on Thursday night on Insider Trading on TSN that Phaneuf is shadowing Leafs president Brendan Shanahan to learn more about the business of hockey.

“The last couple of days and for the next couple of days Dion Phaneuf is going to be shadowing Brendan Shanahan, the president of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it has nothing to do with signing him as an emergency fill-in on the blueline or coming back to the National Hockey League. Now, I should point out. Dion has not officially retired from hockey, he would like another opportunity somewhere but the reason he is in Toronto is simply to get a look at the business of hockey and he reached out to Brendan Shanahan, asked if he could come in, get a feel for what the whole Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment operation off the ice is all about. That’s what he’s been doing. He’ll also be at NHL hockey ops on the weekend checking things out from their perspective.”

While Phaneuf’s next hockey opportunity might come in the front office, it would be a great fit to have him back in Toronto. 

But fans will agree, it has to be away from the blue line…