On this day in 2010, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defencemen Dion Phaneuf, Keith Aulie, and forward Freddy Sjostrom from the Calgary Flames in exchange for forwards Matt Stajan, Nicklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers, and defenceman Ian White.
Leafs general manager Brian Burke was more than aware the Leafs were in a rebuilding phase in the organization and opted to make the big deal with the Flames. Thankfully, it worked out in their favour for the Leafs when they acquired young star Phaneuf.
“I’m obviously excited about going to a team that wants me,” Phaneuf told the National Post’s George Johnson.
“I’m obviously excited about going to the biggest hockey market in the world. If Wayne Gretzky can get traded, anybody can get traded. But I was…very surprised”
Phaneuf played with the Flames from 2005-06 after becoming the ninth overall selection in the 2003 NHL Draft. He recorded 45 goals and 196 points across 423 games with the Flames.
After two seasons without an official captain, the Leafs selected Phaneuf to dawn the ‘C’ in what would become his first full season with the organization, making him the youngest captain in franchise history.
Phaneuf was a solid defenceman in the league and with the club. Still, unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for the Leafs to become a highly competitive group, and the club struggled during his time.
Phaneuf was eventually traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2016 and then again to the Los Angeles Kings in 2018. While with the Leafs, he recorded 45 goals and 196 points across 423 games. Phaneuf’s career totals saw his score 137 goals and 494 points across 1048 games. He officially hung up the skates and retired from the NHL in 2021.
However, it wasn’t just Phaneuf the Leafs acquired in the deal.
Aulie was young and new to the league following being drafted 116th overall in the 2007 NHL Draft. He played his first NHL game the following 2010-11 season with the Leafs and remained in and out of the roster throughout the season. After 57 games split between two seasons with two goals and four points, Aulie was traded in 2012 to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Sjostrom had NHL experience and had previously played for the Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers, and Flames before coming to Toronto. Sjostrom played one season with Toronto in 2010-11, recording two goals and five points; he eventually signed as a free agent in the Swedish league Elitserien with Farjestad.
White was the 191st selection by the Leafs in the 2002 draft. He started his career in the American Hockey League with the St. John’s Maple Leaf before debuting in Toronto in 2005-06. White joined the team with a full-time roster spot in the 2006-07 campaign, scoring three goals and 26 points. He remained a consistent point producer for the Leafs before heading to Calgary.
Stajan has been with the Flames since the organization selected him 57th overall in 2002. He had just come off a 55 points year with the Maple Leafs when he joined the Flames, the best season of his career. He was a consistent 20-point-plus producer and continued to do so with the Flames. He officially announced his retirement in 2019 following his final season in Calgary in 2017-18.
Hagman originally came to the Leafs as a free agent in 2008. He recorded 22 goals and 42 points in his first year with the Leafs. However, due to the rebuild, Hagman wound up in Calgary and finished his fourth consecutive 20-plus-point season with the Flames.
Mayers, like Hagman, only played one full season in 2008-09 with the Leafs following a trade that sent him to Toronto from the St. Louis Blues.
