Dion Phaneuf: Former Leaf asked to waive no-movement clause

According to a report from TSN, the Senators want Dion Phaneuf to waive his no-movement clause, so they can expose him in the upcoming expansion draft.

It would be somewhat of an understatement to say Dion Phaneuf was a polarizing figure during his time in Southern Ontario. As such, Toronto Maple Leafs fans were always drawn towards any news stories surrounding him, regardless of whether they liked him or not.

In that respect, there has been an interesting development surrounding the former Leafs’ captain, who is now plying his trade in the nation’s capital. And depending on how things pan out, he could potentially be playing in Las Vegas when the 2017-18 NHL season starts in October.

As reported by TSN‘s Pierre LeBrun, the Ottawa Senators have asked Phaneuf to waive his no-movement clause, so they can expose him in the upcoming expansion draft. Teams had until 5 p.m. ET on Monday to make any such requests to their players, with the draft set for June 21.

As things stand, the defenceman has yet to make his decision. Of course, this leads to the question of whether he will agree to the Senators’ request?

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In theory it would come as no surprise if Phaneuf does waive his no-movement clause. No matter what your opinion of him as a player might be, there is little denying he is a character guy, who usually puts his team first.

The 32-year old regularly led Leafs skaters in average ice time, during his tenure in Toronto. Further evidence of his team-first mentality came during this past season, when he played with a wrist injury during the playoffs.

Phaneuf’s first full season in Ottawa was a success, as he helped the Senators advance to the Eastern Conference Final. He finished second among defencemen in points (30) and was third among all skaters in average ice time (23:02).

From the Senators’ perspective, their request comes from their desire to protect Marc Methot. Phaneuf’s decision will determine who is added to the protection list, along with fellow blue liners Erik Karlsson and Cody Ceci.

Ottawa’s request is further explained by their belief the Vegas Golden Knights would not select Phaneuf in the expansion draft. This is due to having four years left on his contract, at an average of $7 million per season.

Overall, it will be intriguing to see what the three-time All-Star decides, as it will have a significant impact on what the Senators do with Methot. Phaneuf has until 5 p.m. ET on Friday to make his decision, as protected lists must be submitted 24 hours later.

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What would you do in Phaneuf’s position and why? Further, if he does waive his no-movement clause, how likely is it for the Golden Knights to actually select him in the expansion draft? Share your thoughts in the comments section.