Maple Leafs' Kessel says Phaneuf unfairly blamed

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Toronto Maple Leafs center Phil Kessel came to the defense of captain Dion Phaneuf on Tuesday, saying Phaneuf has been unfairly criticized by the media.

In a scrum after the morning skate, Kessel was asked whether the uncertainty surrounding the NHL Trading Deadline, which passed Monday afternoon, had gotten to him. Big changes were predicted for the Maple Leafs, but the team did not touch the core players, which include Kessel and Phaneuf. Forward David Clarkson was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday for injured forward Nathan Horton.

"No, but I'm disappointed today," Kessel said. "The way the media treats Dion Phaneuf in [Toronto] is embarrassing. I think a lot of people should be ashamed of themselves. I'm embarrassed for them. I don't think anyone deserves to be treated like that."

Phaneuf, who has four years remaining on a contract that carries a cap charge of $7 million annually, was the subject of trade rumors but wasn't part of the two trades the Maple Leafs made Monday.

Kessel said Phaneuf has gotten too much blame for a disappointing season which will see Toronto miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs again.

"Is it his fault we're losing? No. Did he build this team? No. It's not Dion Phaneuf," Kessel said. "The stuff he takes, the crap he takes, things people say, I'm just tired of it here. I think he's owed some apologies by some people. It's disgusting the way people treat him."

Since starting the season 19-9-3, the Maple Leafs have won only six of their past 32 games (6-24-2) and are tied for 15th place in the Eastern Conference standings with 55 points.

Phaneuf is tied for fifth on the Maple Leafs with 23 points and leads them with an average of 23:10 in ice time. He recently returned from a hand injury that shelved him for a dozen games.

He declined to address the media after the morning skate.

"I think you guys unfairly criticize Dion," Kessel said. "He's our best defenseman and you guys act like he's not trying out there and this and that.

"I think he's fine [with the criticism], but I'm tired of it personally that it continues to happen. Dion is a good player, he's a good guy. Everyone likes him here. The things that are said about him, people rip him, this and that, you watch him every night, he plays hard, he tries his best for our team. I'm just tired of it."

Kessel, who has four years remaining on a contract that carries an $8 million cap charge, was asked whether he wanted out of Toronto because of his complaints about the media.

"No, I love Toronto," Kessel said. "I love playing here, I love the city. I signed [for] eight years, but I just think enough is enough for him to keep taking it and I don't like to see it anymore.

"It's not fair and I think it needs to stop. It's not his fault. Why does he get the blame? He's a good friend of mine. I'm just tired of standing here and letting him take it."

Kessel also said he wasn't happy with the perception that a lack of effort was to blame for the Maple Leafs' recent struggles.

"We've been in a lot of tight games, but we haven't played our best and we're not winning," he said. "I think people think we're happy in here. Everyone wants to win more than anyone outside wants to win. I'm just tired of people thinking we're not going out there and trying. We're trying out there. We work, we haven't got our bounces. I mean, some games are better than others, but we've been playing in a lot of tight games and haven't found a way to get it done."