In junior hockey, Phaneuf was known not only for his physical presence, but also his calm demeanour and offensive ability.
Entering his sophomore season, Phaneuf's potential impact on a game was compared to that of Russian star Alexander Ovechkin,[REF] and a poll released by ESPN in 2008 revealed that 43% of players asked argued Phaneuf was the hardest hitter in hockey, at the age of 22 [REF].