Dion Phaneuf is confident he can still help a team looking to win a Stanley Cup.
The 34-year-old defenseman, who had the final two seasons of his contract bought out by the Los Angeles Kings on June 15, will become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
"One bad year is not going to define me," Phaneuf told Sportsnet on Friday. "I know I've got lots of hockey left."
Phaneuf had six points (one goal, five assists) and was a minus-21 in 67 games with the Kings this season, his fewest points and worst plus/minus of his 14-season NHL career.
He had 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists) in 81 games with the Ottawa Senators in 2016-17 and 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 79 games with the Senators and Kings last season.
Those seasons, and his size, are reasons Phaneuf (6-foot-4, 222 pounds) believes he's still a desired commodity.
"I'm a bigger defenseman and I still think you see value in that," he said. "Look at the team that won this year (St. Louis Blues). They had a lot of big guys back there."
Phaneuf has 494 points (137 goals, 357 assists) in 1,048 games with the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Senators and Kings. He scored 20 goals as a rookie with the Flames in 2005-06, one of three rookie NHL defensemen to reach that milestone, along with Brian Leetch (23, New York Rangers 1988-89) and Barry Beck (22, Colorado Rockies, 1977-78). Phaneuf also played in the NHL All-Star Game in 2007, 2008 and 2012.
This will be Phaneuf's first time as a free agent but he's not worried.
"It's not stressful," he said. "I'm excited for another opportunity. A couple teams have already reached out, which is nice."
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