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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 2570189" data-attributes="member: 2012">Star junior defenceman Dion Phaneuf ready to make jump to NHLSportsnet.caSeptember 12 @ 14:12, EST CALGARY (CP) - Defenceman Dion Phaneuf has wasted little time impressing the Calgary Flames.While the main camp begins with on-ice sessions Tuesday, the former star with the Red Deer Rebels has already turned heads at the Flames' prospects camp.The six-foot-two Edmonton native arrived with an impressive resume. He was awarded the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy last season as the Canadian Hockey League's top defenceman and distinguished himself at the world junior championship with some thumping hits.As president of the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, Calgary's new farm team, Doug Soetaert would love to see the hulking blue-liner suit up in the American Hockey League.But in his other role as assistant GM of the Flames, Soetaert says that's not going to happen."No chance," said the former GM of the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips, who saw Phaneuf in action several times as a member of the Rebels. "He's a hell of a hockey player. He's a kid that's got unlimited potential. I don't see him going south."Phaneuf did what Flames coach and GM Darryl Sutter expected him to at the prospect camp, which wrapped up Monday while veterans reported to camp for fitness testing and medical examinations."He's had a good summer of training," Sutter said. "He's ready to go. He's 215 pounds and that's the weight we want him at."Sutter has high expectations for Calgary's first-round pick (ninth overall) in the 2003 NHL draft."I've watched Dion Phaneuf play a lot of hockey, probably over 100 games in the last three years, so I know where he's going to take his game."After his Rebels were eliminated from the WHL playoffs in the first round, Phaneuf returned home to rest up after a gruelling season. He then dedicated himself to preparing himself for his first pro campaign."You can never be quick enough, you can never be strong enough and that was one of my goals when I went back after the season," Phaneuf said. "I wanted to have a good summer of training and come in as best shape as I could and I feel I did that."After competing against him for five days during prospect camp, forward Dustin Boyd said he believes Phaneuf has what it takes to play for the Flames."He's got the size and the speed and the strength to play in the show," said Calgary's third-round pick (98th overall) in the 2004 draft. "He's got all the tools to make it." As a forward with the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors, Boyd has gone up against Phaneuf several times over the past few seasons. With the pair playing on opposite squads in the prospect camp, their on-ice battles continued during scrimmages Friday and Sunday."I tried hitting him there and he's pretty solid on his feet and he kind of knocked me over," said Boyd, who hopes to follow in Phaneuf's footsteps and make the Canadian squad for the 2006 world junior championships in Vancouver.Goalie Brent Krahn, chosen ninth overall by Calgary in the 2000 draft, is also a believer."He has all the tools to play in the NHL," Krahn said. "I think everybody sees that. For a guy like me to have a guy like Dion playing in front of me, it definitely makes you feel good because you know he's going to take care of the extra whacks and hacks."Because of his hard-hitting style, Phaneuf has been compared Scott Stevens. He has also drawn comparisons to Al MacInnis for his booming shot."Anytime you can model (yourself after) or set goals to be like any one of those two guys, it's definitely big shoes to fill," Phaneuf said about the recently retired NHL all-stars. "They were great for the game and they had very good careers. They both were guys that everyone wanted to have on their team."</blockquote>

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