Dion Phaneuf: the falling star

Whether you like the man or not, you have to admit it: Dion Phaneuf has swagger.
If you keep your eyes open, you just might catch a glimpse of the six-foot-three 214-pound hockey player here in Toronto, strutting around with the same confidence he consistently exudes on-ice. He is the walking, talking definition of what Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke calls “pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence” and he reminds us every time we see him at the rink. What makes Phaneuf an excellent example of Canadian athleticism, though, is not his swagger or his ability to excite, but his ability to persevere and overcome, making him a Canadian icon and a hero to many.