BY MARK SPECTOR
sportsnet.ca

CALGARY -- Dion Phaneuf did what every National Hockey League Player does when he returns to the town he was traded out of. He arrived at the Saddledome early on Thursday, and visited the Calgary Flames trainers and whichever old teammates he could run into down at dressing room level.

"Ran into Iggy, had a laugh," he said of Jarome Iginla, his old captain here in Southern Alberta. "It will be a special night."

Calgary is abuzz with the Return Of Dion, with newspapers plus radio and TV stations in Calgary all focused on how fans should greet Phaneuf, and who won the seven-player trade between the Flames and Maple Leafs.

In vintage tabloid fashion, the Calgary Sun gave its readers dueling perspectives. One headline blared, "43 Reasons Why The Leafs Stink," while another screamed, "NO DOUBT ABOUT IT - The Leafs were the winners in the Phaneuf trade, Flames big losers."

Phaneuf wasn't going anywhere near those two topics after the morning skate, but he did admit the move to Toronto, where he quickly became captain of the Maple Leafs, "was the best thing that ever happened to me, personally. It's been nothing but positive for me since I went to Toronto."

Toronto's Western road trip has been hijacked here in Calgary by the Jan. 31, 2010 trade that sent Phaneuf, 21-year-old, 6-5 defenceman Keith Aulie and Fredrik Sjostrom to Toronto for Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman, Jamal Mayers (now with San Jose) and Ian White (since traded to Carolina).

Viewers can watch the game on Sportsnet Flames, live tonight 7:30 p.m. MT.

With Stajan (one goal in 43 games) and Hagman (minus-7, tied for worst on Flames) failing to gain any traction with Calgary, and Phaneuf having ascended to captain of the Leafs, the deal has become a bell weather for a Flames franchise on the decline.

Will a packed Saddledome take that out on Phaneuf tonight with a chorus of boos?

"I have no hard feelings and I hope (the fans) don't," Phaneuf said. "I'm sure there will be cheers and boos."

"Dion played hard here," teammate Kris Versteeg said. "I think they should be happy for how he played, what he gave to them."

The Flames are a team that did not envision being mired in 14th place in the Western Conference with Christmas right around the corner. After beating Columbus in OT Monday night, they'll be looking to post their first back-to-back victories since October tonight.

Calgary has followed their last eight wins with a loss, and with 29 points (13-15-3) have just one more point than Toronto (12-14-4). The Maple Leafs are riding a two-game win streak and have won four of their last six.

They have an opportunity to win back-to-back road games for the first time since games No. 3 and 4 on the season.

Phaneuf, meanwhile, will recognize a lot of faces across the ice from him tonight.

"When the puck drops it doesn't mater of you're friends or not. You've got to go out with everything you've got," he said.

Phaneuf flew in Wednesday night from Summerside P.E.I., where he was attending his grandmother's funeral.

"It's not easy. That's the tough part of life," he said. "But it was good I got to go down there and celebrate her life. I'm glad that everything worked out so I could make it."