Dion Phaneuf: Will the Leafs trade him this season?

With the Maple Leafs beginning training camp Thursday, we thought a good starting point would be addressing one of the most polarizing athletes in Toronto: Dion Phaneuf.

It only heightened when Toronto GM DaveNonissigned the Leafs captain to a monster 7-year, $49-million US contract last December.

• NHL contracts: The 8 worst for Canadian teams

Thats the type of contract reserved for a No. 1 defencemen, the type of which Phaneuf is not.

Naturally the contract gavefans fuel to ridicule the Leafs blue-liner, whose defensive breakdowns continually trigger humourous reactions on social media.

• On mobile? Watch the video here

In a piece that mycolleague Mike Dennis wrote regarding the eight worst NHL contracts forCanadian teams, more than 56 per cent picked Phaneufs deal as the least desirablein a CBCSports.ca poll, easily outdistancing the Sedin twins, who were second at 17.25 per cent.

This is a critical season for Phaneuf and the Leafs. Toronto has missed the playoffs in eight of its last nine years, and dont expect Phaneuf to get a ringing endorsement from new president Brendan Shanahan if he or the franchise gets off to a slow start.

But should the Leafs even take a wait-and-see approach with Phaneuf? After all, he was constantly linked to trade rumours throughout last season.

As I've noted, Phaneufgets roasted byLeaf fans on a regular basis.

• On mobile? See the tweet here

• On mobile? See the tweet here

• On mobile? See the tweet here