This being Round 2 of the Dion returns to Calgary saga, surely it’s time for a new story angle.

No need to resurrect the quotes from last year about how Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf and Flames captain Jarome Iginla were and maybe still are good buddies.

No need to rehash the whispers that Phaneuf wasn’t beloved in the Flames dressing room.

Or how badly Calgary was fleeced on the deal that also brought defenceman Keith Aulie here and sent a trio West, Matt Stajan being the only one that still remains in the Flames lineup.

This return should be more about how Phaneuf has settled into his role as team captain and what that leadership will mean through the crucial three-game Western Canada road trip and beyond.

His first return 13 months ago got the old storylines out of the way  in what  was a difficult journey for Phaneuf. He arrived in the city where he began his NHL career later than the rest of his team after travelling to P.E.I. for his grandmother’s funeral.

On the ice, he was met with the predictable mix of cheers and boos that greet any star returning to his old barn and the Flames got the last say with a 5-2 win.

Since the lockout, the Leafs have won just three times in the Canadian West. Improving on that run is an assignment far more significant than whatever sentimental residue remains in Calgary.