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Sundin makes his decision: He's staying in Toronto

DAVID SHOALTS

From Monday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 8:55 PM EST 25/02/08

Mats Sundin would rather be a bad Maple Leaf than a champion Duck or Red Wing or Shark
...Read the full article

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  1. R. Bruce Norris from Nanaimo BC, Canada writes: Good decision Mats!
    There is no reason for Sundin to have to pay for the sins/stupidity of former Leafs management. I hope that management now has the brains and creativity to use Mats as a cornerstone for the franchise and build around him. A contract extension for next year should be near the top of the priority list for Leafs' management.
    In the next home game I hope the true Leafs fans give Mats the warm welcome he deserves!!
  2. Young Gunner from T., Canada writes: Mats Sundin: Olympic Gold Medalist.
    Mats, this is your life. I guess that's all you'll ever have.
  3. Paul V from Toronto, Canada writes: So he wants to retire a Maple Leaf, that sounds nice but really it exemplifies the attitude of leaf players, we're comfortable where we are and I don't need to win. If management came to me and said we're rebuilding, it'll be a tough couple of years but you can choose which cup contender you want to go to, how do you say no to that unless you don't care about winning.
  4. Randy F from Toronto, Canada writes: Mats is so overrated! The only time you see the real Mats Sundin is in international play...it's then that you realize just how often he coasts through games with the Leafs. This is why he's barely a point-a-game player with apparently zero desire to win a cup. It sure isn't going to happen in Toronto in the few years he has left. So, now that he's decided to stay it's about time for the Leafs to go on their last-ditch effort to make the playoffs...only to just barely miss them again and thus, have taken themselves out contention for a high draft pick.

    The mediocrity lives on!
  5. reality man from ottawa, Canada writes: So some stiffs might end up in the minors because of Mats Sundin? How's that? Wasn't he supposed to be a rental and then re-sign in the summer? Andrew Raycroft? Please explain why a goalie with a 4.08 GAA and an 0.868 save percentage, who hasn't won a game since November, should be playing anywhere other than the minors. Vesa Toskala plays with the same team in front of him and he gives up a full 1.5 goals per game less than Raycroft. Sundin's fault? NO LOGIC! Mark Bell? Ummmm, this guy makes 2.25 million a year and has 28 points in his last 97 games. Everybody knows, except you apparently, that he was forced on Toronto as a salary dump by San Jose and JFJ was stupid enough to take him. On top of this, he is a convicted criminal who is slated to spend 6 months in prison this summer. So this is a character player that you believe is the best possible way to spend $2.25 mil - for his 2 goals in his 27 games as a Leaf? Fantastic logic. Jason Blake? I know that he has gone through a rough time this year with his health so I will not belabour his lack of production. However, is it Sundin's fault that JFJ signed a 34 year old to a 5 year/$20 mil contract. So JFJ was willing to pay Blake $4 million as a 39 year old? I assume that Sundin will be retired by then and yet Blake would probably end up in the minors anyway. NO LOGIC! Pavel Kubina? Ummm, if Kubina is such a great bargin at $5 mil per year then why wouldn't somebody pick him up in a trade and give the Leafs a great return? Kubina is making almost as much money as Sundin yet SUNDIN is expected to bring in a great return in a trade but not Kubina? So who is the better bargain next year? Sundin is the 12th highest scoring centre in the NHL. Is Kubina the 12th best d-man? Once again, NO LOGIC! Darcy Tucker? If Darcy Tucker ends up in the minors then that is his fault. Fletcher has offered to trade him but Tucker refused. Why does Sundin have to waive his no trade clause but not Tucker? NO LOGIC!
  6. mike cardin from ottawa, Canada writes: You know, it's funny. This whole Mats saga - a media creation to be sure- has really shown what a great man Sundin is, in a way that the ultimately meaningless game of NHL hockey could never, ever have done. And at the same time, it has revealed much of the media and fan base to be ignorant and vapid. I think I'll watch less HNIC, listen to less sports talk radio, skip the sports sections and, in their place, ponder the tragedy that is the massive waste of human capital brought about by the professional sports cult.

    Sundin isn't caught up in an artificial quest for some cheap peice of shiny metal. He's trying to live by his own values that have real meaning and real rewards. Look at how cheap and shabby all of the sports media and fans look in contrast to one original player's simple integrity to himself.
  7. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: Good posts Reality Man and Mike Cardin.

    I agree R. Bruce Norris. A standing ovation is required.

    My bet is they trade Hal Gill. Kubina gets traded after the draft and before August 15th.... his no trade is wiped for that period and he is valuable for teams looking at Boyle and Campbell. (at 5.0 he is a deal compared to the 6.5m those two are looking for.).

    Blake will pay the price via waivers as will Bell and Raycroft. Good riddance.

    Steen will eventually be a top 6 forward and a good resign.... but what about Stajan and Wellwood? Both RFA's this summer and currently about a .9m hit on the cap.

    Based on his "loyalty" will Sundin be back next year? How much of a cap hit? Me thinks he will play for a serious discount...... as long as they play their cards right as far as using up their freed up cap space.

    Nothing has been written about Poni's "rib injury" .... the ribs around his knee I presume. Fourth highest paid forward and tradeable if not hurt.

    BTW Shoalts..... everybody but you has reported that McCabe won't waive.... his wife is seven months pregnant and wants to stay.

    Cheers
  8. Selvin Mathew from Canada writes: Only Shoaltz can continue to question a mans integrity. Maybe if shoaltz had ever played professional sport, instead of being another wannabe athlete turned journalist. He would at least know what honour and integrity is.

    The funniest thing is, no professional athlete would question Mat's heart. EVERYONE in the league has a ton of respect for him, and jthats why everyone except the Media knew he wasn't going anywhere. When he says something - he sticks to it. Players respect him and think he is unbelievable - they don't question his heart.

    Wannabe Athletes turned journalist - have all the time in the world because they never had the heart to make it to the big leagues
  9. D M from Canada writes: Yep, another Nobel Prize in Logic from our esteemed writer. Seemingly... the Leaf's have cap space problems because Sundin didn't leave. Say wha--? (Well, for starters, his contract is up, isn't it? You don't have to sign him next year.) But even if you do, how does that take up cap space for younger players? You can only have a certain number of players on the roster. So Sundin takes 5 M hit on the cap. If he left, you'd have 5 M more to sign a younger player. But what younger player will get paid 5 M?? (Especially now that JFJ is gone...) You sign younger, cheaper players, so you THEN can sign some really good older players. You don't get rid of older players so you can then afford cheaper players!! The number of players is constant! You can't sign 5 cheaper players at 1 M instead of 1 player at 5 M, because your roster is fixed, and their salary affects the cap only when they are on they are on the parent team roster... (when I say afford, I mean in the cap, not actual money, because as mentioned, the total money they pay is not important to them) They're not going to send down a bunch of younger players, because they need the same number on the roster...
  10. D M from Canada writes: and another thing :)

    Why is everyone dumping on him to move so he can "win the Stanley Cup". What, does everyone have a crystal ball and KNOW who's going to win? Even if he wanted to be a rental player to win the Cup, where would he go? In the East, Ottawa has a shot. (Montreal is doing well, but probably only would last 2-3 rounds.) In the West? Where? Please tell him, you geniuses! Anaheim? Sharks? Detroit? Maybe even Dallas has a shot... So what's that, easy 4-5 teams that can make it with him. So, great, he's supposed to move for a max 20% chance of winning, maybe even less. Spin the wheel, see if you pick the Cup-winning team!

    Look at all the others who moved to win it all... and didn't. Bourque for starters (won it with COL, but not the first year...). Probably out of all the impact players that have been moved (in past 20 years or so) to boost the team, only Francis to Pittsburg made it. Even Kariya and Selanne went for a whole year to Colorado to finally win it all and they didn't make it. Does he have a chance to win it? Sure... but not a great one. And people want him to give up his principles for that... brilliant.
  11. Tom Gray from Canada writes: DM said:

    You can't sign 5 cheaper players at 1 M instead of 1 player at 5 M, because your roster is fixed, and their salary affects the cap only when they are on they are on the parent team roster...

    The point that Shoalts was making was that the Maple Leafs with the current high paid roster is one of the worst teams in the league. Salary level and salary cap room are not their problems. Their problem is that they do not have players who are good enough to win or, beyond Sundin' good enough to attract a trade of a player who could enable them to win in the future. The Leafs roster is not fixed as Sholats points out. They cna always make room by sending some big contracts to the minors.
  12. Rob C from Rosedale, Canada writes: Shoalts points out that Sundin not moving means some of his team mates play in the AHL next year - Great!!! I never thoughtof it that way - there is a benefit to this after all....Put Blake, Kubina, Tucker Bell, Raycroft all down there - Do it now - Trade McCabe and go get Brad Richards and some guys in the 2 million range because there will be cap room...keep some lower priced talent on the Leafs for a year or two.
  13. Dave Morris from Montreal, writes: Sundin is right to stay. Toronto is where his heart his. Besides, no matter where Fletcher would trade him, there would be no guarantee of winning of a Cup. As far as 'helping the Leafs', Sundin helps them every night. He is not responsible for MLSE's disasters, and he has no obligation other than his contract, which he has honored in full.
    Sundin has his integrity. In an age where so many people put money and 'winning' above everything, Sundin has shown himself to be a true champion...as a man, and not just a sportsman. Bravo.
  14. Super Troll from Canada writes: Doesn't his contract expire in the summer? Feltcher should just not re-sign him. Teach him a lesson.
  15. Super Troll from Canada writes: Sudown loves losing. He's doing buyers no favours- the price for Hossa just went through the roof.
  16. R.T. Elder from Canada writes: Can someone explain to me how Shoalts, obviously a man of limited intellect, manages to hold down a columnists' position at Toronto's National Newspaper?
  17. Matt O from Canada writes: Mike Cardin, nice post.

    Mr. Shoalts, your last two paragraphs distort Mats' words. He may indeed sign with another (better) team next year, but at least he'll be with the club from the start of the season. What he didn't want to do was parachute into a potential Stanley-cup winning just before the playoffs to grab a ring when a lot of other guys had to put in the hard work to get them into a position to win.

    That always bothered me about the Ray Bourque trade to Colorado. I can understand why Bourque wanted to go: who wouldn't want to win the Stanley Cup? But the media fawned all over him when he did win, and nobody questioned the ethical grey area of jumping onto a club late just to get a cup.
  18. True North from The Free West, Canada writes:
    With his team truly pathetic, attendance actually slipping and CBC now televising Habs games nationally, Sundin has every right to consider his debt to Toronto complete and move on for his own sake.

    Do you think Ray Bourque has any regrets?
  19. Tim Cares from Canada writes: Typical Leaf fans, wanting to screw an old captain for a 2nd round draft choice.
    What do people think the Leafs are going to get for him?
  20. J R from Halifax, Canada writes: I have no problem with Mats staying...I beleived he has earned the right to exercise the no trade clause without reprucussions.

    As for the rest...I hope Fletcher is telling them to either waive the clause before the trade deadline or they will be guaranteed of going on waivers and potentially ending up elsewhere. Not that I think you will get a lot for them but some of them are basically done in TO (Blake and Tucker for sure) and need a new start elsewhere....even that might not work for them.

    And any leafs who end up mariles cannot blame Sundin. He and Toskala are the only reasons the leafs were not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs months ago. If the end up in the minors they did it themselves.
  21. Alex Spicer from Halifax, Canada writes: As a Leafs fan I am a little dissapointed. However I'm proud of Mats at the same time. There is no question he wants to be a Leaf. If there is anyone to blame for this whole thing it's JFJ with his ridiculous "no-trade" clauses. I swear he had those contracts on a toilet-paper roll, he was such a frequent user. In my opinion we should keep Kaberle and Toskala, trade McCabe and buy out/put on waivers everyone else that's over 30 years old. I'll tolerate four more years of mediocrity as long as there is hope on the horizon.
  22. Tim Cares from Canada writes: Super Troll from Canada writes: Doesn't his contract expire in the summer? Feltcher should just not re-sign him. Teach him a lesson....

    It's not Fletcher's decision.
  23. Robert Miller from Halifax, Canada writes: lol How is this non-story any different from yesterday's non-story?

    Here's a prediction:

    February 25, 2015...

    G&M Headlines -- Canada continues debate on it's combat role in Afghanistan despite ongoing heavy troop losses

    Sundin, now 45 years of age, decides to stay with MLS&E -- cites good dental plan and no interruptions to golf season as reasons...
  24. Craig T from Victoria, Canada writes: I might be in the minority with my opinion, but I actually think Sundin is being selfish. Everyone knows that the best thing for the team is for Mats to be traded & for the orgainization to get a return for him. This doesn't have to be a longterm thing. He can go to a contender, the team gets some draft picks/ players, and then he can re-sign in the summer. Win win for everyone concerned. I don't see anything noble about leading a team to last place so you can sleep in your own bed & go to your favorite restaurants.
  25. the rose from t.o., Canada writes: How many times over the last few years have we complained about a lack of loyalty when it comes to professional athletes. We finally get it and the Leaf nation and media have his bags packed and apparently already drafted the next Getzlaf with the 25th overall pick next year... good luck.
  26. hal jarnicki from Barrie, Canada writes: We finally get a guy who loves Toronto so much, he doesn't want to go. He signed a contract for less money to stay, that's right, to stay with the team, so instead of raising him up in reverance, instead of taking pride in our fine city, instead of seeing him as a world class cornerstone of a franchise with some kind of tradition, we want to kick his rear bumper out of town. Now if he would have been the one who wanted to leave, we would have had a few choice words for that ungreatful S.O.B. Leaf fans are a special breed. They cried when Wendel left town and guess who we got for Wendel. Hell, the same fans that want to ship Sundin out of town are the same ones that whined about his play for years and the same ones that would stll take Wendel back in a heart beat. So there's more to it than just draft picks and prospects. Like the Leafs have taken advantage of that before? If they've been bad for so long, how come they don't have all these amazing draft picks and prospects now? Oh, I get it, they haven't been crappy enough to get good draft picks. Tell that to Detroit or Dallas or New Jersey. Maybe Toronto Maple Leaf problems go alot deeper. Look at the way the management ousted JFJ. Sure he had to go, but not one limb at a time. The whole franchise and all its supporters are in need of a spiritual awakening. May I suggest a seven day colon cleanse. Matts is a class act and I'm glad he's sticking around.
  27. Super Troll from Canada writes: BWAHAHAHA yeah he really cares about the Leafs- what a selfish guy. The only reason he doesn't want to move is b/c of his tax situation.

    "To hell with losing for another 5 years- as long as I do what's best for me"
  28. Dafydd Brws from Ynys Enlli, Canada writes: - 3 times world champ, captain of current olympic gold medalists
    -signed a contract, a deal is a deal
    -trading with a cup contender, what kind of a draft pick are you gonna get, anyway?
    -not everyone wants to be a mercenary, some people gotta do the right thing
  29. Trilly B from Canada writes: I guess those who disagree with Mats' decision have themselves taken a job in another city in order to help correct the failings of management.

    What a load of crap. I'll take loyalty over opportunism any day.
  30. Tim Cares from Canada writes: If you treat Sundin like this, why would any other top free agent want to come here?
    Look at things from a long term prospective!
  31. Henry Allen from East Bank, Don River, Canada writes: The main issue is not and never has been about Sundin. None of this jabbering about Sundin would be happening if MLSE had demanded the building of a core team with Stanley Cup contender potential. But, there is no such core team, and there won't be for years, no matter whether Sundin stays, waives, signs as a free agent with another team, or retires. If Sundin wants to stay for the rest of this season, so be it. He deserves respect for being far classier than MLSE's directors and more of a contributor than the over-paid pylons he's been forced to play with.
  32. Sergei Petrov from Markham, Canada writes: Here is how to rebuild a team: get rid of the bad players and keep the good ones. Sundin is the best player on the team. Sure he may have only one or two years left, but he obviously likes Toronto. He cannot be compared with other complacent no-traders, in that he is the major contributor to the team. Why trade him for worse players or a draft pick on the chance that, in 5 years, the draft pick might even be near as good as him? Why not convince the absolutely useless Tucker to waive his clause and get rid of him and Raycroft and some others, even for 5th round picks?
  33. Allan Martel from Canada writes: I agree with Scot regarding the quality posts by Reality Man, Bruce Norris and Mike Cardin.

    I agree also with trading Gil and Kubina during the period when his no-trade clause is not applicable.

    For further imprpovement, cap room is needed. This means that the waivers option is all that's left to the Leafs and Blake, Wellwood and Raycroft lead the pack. I would also add Tucker to that list.

    And, it goes without saying - (or does it?) - no more no trade and no-movement clauses in future signings - not now, not ever!

    So, when all is said and done, what will be the legacy of John Ferguson Jr.?

    Ironically, if Tucker, Bell, Wellwood and Raycroft play well in the minor leagues, Ferguson will be known forever as the guy who made possible the best Marlies team of all time.
  34. D G from Canada writes: The Toronto fans are selfish! If you wanted a good team you should have boycotted going to the games and watching them on TV. So why are you now calling Sundin selfish? Time to look at yourselves boys.

    Sundin is a class act.
  35. Dan Radu from Canada writes: Typical Leaf-Globe&Mail fans - Let's go rip our loyal captain for not getting the team a couple of draft busts.

    I hate the Leafs but I must say that Sundin is a classy guy. If anything was to motivate the rest of the bums on that team it should be an action like this.
  36. Another Opinion from Toronto, Canada writes: Two points...

    First: "He (McCabe) said he might waive the no-trade clause in his contract if Fletcher came to him with an irresistible trade offer from a Stanley Cup contender."

    BWAH-HAH-HAH-HAAAA! A CONTENDER? Who does McCabe think he is? My dog plays better defence than McCabe and she can't even skate!

    The only way a Cup Contender is going to trade ANYTHING to get Bryan McCabe is at gunpoint. What an ego on that loser!

    Second: Tucker in the minors... oh please please please please let it happen. After years of being overvalued, he'll finally end up playing where he's belonged for years.

    At least in the minors, he might be good enough that his trash talk will actually have value.
  37. Hockey Fan from Kitchener, Canada writes: I am amazed by the stupidity of Toronto sports writers and the rest of the "talking heads" on TV programs. They are so hard up for hockey stories, that they create fictional scenarios just to feed their frenzy. In this case trying to push a class act of a player, Mats Sundin, out of Toronto. Imagine, blaming Sundin for all the Leaf's woes. The class organizations of the NHL like Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, would never allow their franchise players, Yzerman, Modano, Sakic to be treated with such disdain. They provided a supporting cast for them. Not so the Leafs. When the hockey writers are smart enough to understand that the Leafs don't need to have a winner, the building is always full, and that it's always about money, they will have grasped the Maple Leafs ownership.
    Meanwhile, the beat goes on, talk is cheap, the pundits are always wrong and behind the scenes, deals are smade.
  38. yogesh thakur from london, Canada writes: Sundin signed a deal in good faith which gives him the choice of destination in a trade, or to stay in Toronto.... which he loves soo much. This story will only come to a conclusion in the summer, either Mats loves Toronto so much he takes a huge pay cut and plays another year (like Yzerman, Sakic and...dare I say Alfie have) in hopes he can lead the Leafs to the glory land and retire as captain. Or maybe, he just retires... and therefore retires as a leaf.... of course, as he has stated he wants to play for a team from October to June, he may just sign with another team and screw Toronto over entirely. Now as a leafs fan, and someone who has watched his skills wasted centering the likes of Berezin, Pony, Blake (at best a 20 goal scored... 4 mil a year... JFJ... words can't describe the ineptitude), and the list goes on... I would have to say, it maybe selfish, but this organization, with its bureaucracy, short-sighted goals and poor management (Peddie is really the real problem http://www.firerichardpeddie.ca/) it might actually be the BEST thing for him to do. Maybe then (and a long shot) will us fans start boycotting their games, tune out their broadcasts( leafs TV, TSN, Sportsnet) and stop buying their merchandise. That would be the only true way the board would actually hire a skilled hockey person with autonomous power in the hockey organization to steer the team right.....

    just a thought...
  39. Nestor C from Canada writes: What I find amusing is the banter on whether he should or should not have exercised that clause.....it's his right and he is allowed; I don't begrudge the guy one bit for using the clause he was allowed...

    What I'm really interested in though is WHY he would do it.....and for all the blathering about loving the Leafs etc etc....fine, that makes good copy....but WHY does he love the Leafs?

    If I could make $7M a year, putting up high middle of the pack numbers but be treated like a god I would love it in TO as well....fact is, this decision by Sundin really can be used as a tunnel into his psyche, he's a loser and doesn't matter what anybody thinks.....BTW, he also realizes that he could make FAR more money in TO than anywhere else; and he's more likely to get it if he stays....don't think for a second that those statements weren't made during the powwows he had with his agent this weekend.....

    FWIW, I wouldn't resign him simply because we need to rebuild and paying that much for an older guy who obviously has no ambition to win is detrimental.....
  40. Wild Bill from Canada writes: Good decision. Maybe now these GM's will start to consider the huge salaries and conditions of employment. Both parties agreed to the contract so now abide by it. Maybe the ones not pulling their weight the front office will think twice about giving these huge contracts. Isn't that usually the case. Once the contract is signed the production goes down. Who cares what league they play in as long as the paycheque arrives on time.
  41. Mac - GLG from Canada writes: R. Bruce Norris from Nanaimo BC, Canada writes: Good decision Mats!
    - Great post Bruce - makes good sense.

    reality man from ottawa, Canada writes: So some stiffs might end up in the minors because of Mats Sundin?
    - Another great post and makes sense.

    I can't believe the jerk-offs here who berate a man for standing up for his beliefs and showing integrity.

    I hope he comes back but don't blame him if he retires.
  42. L. C. from Canada writes: Many of us fail to see 2 sides of the story. Sundin - he is 37yrs old, he is good, not superstar good (some might argue). After many years of playing in a league, you want to leave some fames. Winning a Stanley Cup is very nice or a dream for all the NHL players. However, there is no real high probability of winning a Cup if he decided to go Detroit or Anaheim or wherever. If he fails to win a cup after the trade, then he will be 38 yrs old next year. Time is really ticking for him. I guess what he really wants to do now is helping the Leafs rebuild. He has the experience and the hockey sense that can benefit the "up and rising" players. Leafs' management wants to trade him now because this can be bargain for future prospects. Sundin's salary might only have a face value of 5 mil a year. But, the market value is huge!! A well experienced Center, playing consistant games night after night. Age can be concern, but not a huge one, cause he is still top notch player in the league. You can easily trade in 2 young players with future draft picks etc. When Sundin is free agent, Leafs will have no more bargaining power of Sundin. The end problem is.. Management want to rebuild team without Sundin, they might have a prospective player want to rebuild the team around. However, Sundin wants to stick around to help with the rebuild.
  43. Paul I from Rochester NY, United States writes: Sundin and the Toronto "fans" and media- A pearl before swine.
  44. EJ Ravensbud from Canada writes: To all you 9 to 5ers, hockey dreamers and silly people. Hockey is an entertainment business, it is not fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Matts is an entertainer. He gets paid over 5 mill for entertaining. I do not know if he has any other skills other than being a good hockey player. Again, he gets 5 mill. Why should he go anywhere else at his age? If he wins a Cup like Bourque with a Colorado logo on it after a multi career in Boston does it have any meaning? To me no. It is just a ring on a team to which he rented himself. Matts doesn't need a phoney ring. He has 5 mill. He can buy a Cup ring on ebay for a few thousand or less. Get real people.
  45. allenparkpete **** from Canada writes: Nice smoke screen by the Leafs management. Fabricate pressure on Sundin to wave his NTC and then get set up as the bad guy where they can disguise their own incompetence. They have someone to blame now. I've seen the same thing countless times in the car industry.
  46. Jeff Gulley from Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, Canada writes: If you read Fletcher's comments very carefully allenparkpete (I know it's difficult, he uses some really big words), you will see that, in fact, Leafs management isn't blaming Sundin at all.
  47. Neil no more last name from Missass, Canada writes: With all this talk about Sundin not believing in rental players, and the value of winning a cup on a team you've played with from October to June - sounds like Sundin will be signing elsewhere in the off-season. Perhaps, one of the teams that were taking a look at him b4 the trade deadline.
  48. Globe Reader from Canada writes: Obviously many of us disagree with Shoalts and his twisted logic. His so called Plan A never made any sense in the first place.

    There is more to playing hockey, and there is more to building a winning team, than the accountants' calculus of dollar figures and smart trades. All this speculation about contracts and trades has little to do with what actually happens in the dressing room and on the ice.

    Leafs need to sign Sundin for another season, so that they can rebuild the team around him. He will have even more respect among the players now, when he refused to go elsewhere and leave his teammates in a sinking ship.
  49. Joe Calgarian from Canada writes: Yawn...
  50. George Hall from Canada writes: Sundin should reconsider because he would be more than a rental player.....there are 20 games left and a ton of playoff to be played and he could be an integral part of a Stanley Cup team.
    why would he want to stay with team that does not want him?
  51. Ice Rider from Edmonton, Canada writes: Mats Sundin would rather be a bad Maple Leaf than a champion Duck or Red Wing or Shark

    Bad for staying loyal to his team and his fans? Bad for refusing to breach a freely negotiated contract with his employer? Bad exactly how?

    If Fletcher or whoever replaces him has any real concern about building this team back into a contender -- and it's little more than a train wreck at the moment -- then he will need a leader in the dressing room. That ain't Maurice, it wasn't Ferguson, it ain't Peddie or any of the other MLSE suits -- it's Mats Sundin. Thank you Mats. You are an honourable man playing for a dishonourable team. Perhaps your rising tide can't lift their sunken ships, but the team would be a lot worse off without your leadership.
  52. Scott Brodie from Chatham, writes: I agree 100% with Craig T's earlier post and no Craig, you are not in the minority in your opinion. Sundin acts like he is being banished to Siberia for the rest of his life. He gets to go to a team of his choosing for rest of this season (3 or 4 months!!) for a chance to win a Stanley Cup. The Leafs get some much need assets in return to accelerate their rebuilding process. Sundin can then return to a better Leafs team in the summer that has some hope for the future. Don't get me wrong -- I am not sticking up for MLSE ownership or Leafs management. The lack of accountability and leadership from the owners and the ineptitude of Leafs management over the years has made the team what they are today. But one smart thing the Leafs organization has always done has been good to Sundin. He has been treated like a king by the organization and paid handsomely (around $70 million!!). For him not to allow management to trade him to help the team he professes to love so much because he doesn't want to disrupt his life for a couple months is selfish. It also shows how much he really cares about winning a Stanley Cup in his career. It won't be happening any time soon in Toronto.
  53. Clark The Mighty from Canada writes: Bench Sundeen!

    Strip him of his C!

    Give Kaberle the C!

    Selfish slime!
  54. dale spinx from Canada writes: a second lottery pick would have been great but having mats on the team still has its benefits. for all the young players comming up, they have the privledge of being around a true proffessional day in and day out. mats will provide the leadership to the next crop of leafs and hopefully his attitude and work ethic will rub off on one of these guys. As i see it now there is absolutely no one on the team qualified to fill his shoes. mats will likely never win a cup in toronto but he may have a hand in developing the leadership of the team that will make a run for it.

    with that being said, wellwood and mats must not be too close ;)
  55. allenparkpete **** from Canada writes: sure, Jeff (lol).
  56. Jennifer Demsyn from TORONTO, Canada writes: Just wanted to say thank-you to Mike Cardin (Ottawa), Dave Morris (Montreal) and Hal Jarnicki (Barrie) for your excellent comments. I noticed that all 3 of you live outside of Toronto, which i envy at this point of time. I consider myself a long-time loyal fan of the Leafs and have been totally ashamed of the way the organization has treated Mats Sundin. It is a disgrace and an embarrassment to the city of Toronto. We have so few heros for the young kids, (and us adults) these days and to treat someone who has always been fabulous to the team and community so shabbily is sickening. It also gives our younger players a peak into the future of what they can expect in the years to come. No cup in over 40 years? Hmnn. No class in 40 years either. Do you think its related???
  57. Jeff Gulley from Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, Canada writes: Ah, I like you allenparkpete....just teasing away the Monday. At least we're both laughing. Life's good. Cheers.
  58. RD Lone from Vancouver, Canada writes: "R.T. Elder from Canada writes: Can someone explain to me how Shoalts, obviously a man of limited intellect, manages to hold down a columnists' position at Toronto's National Newspaper?"

    Too hard to pass up.. don't call the kettle black mr "Toronto's National newspaper". And Toronto wonders why people make fun of the center of the universe.
  59. Axl Foley from Calgary, Canada writes: Mats negotiated a no-trade clause and now he's sticking to the bargain he made. What's the problem here? Because Leafs management signed a bunch of one-year wonders to long term contracts Mats, the only consistently great player on the roster, has to uproot his life and change his agreement? I think Leafs management should be looking for a rope and a tree for themselves at this point. They are not getting it done. They are the reason the Leafs will miss the playoffs for the 3rd straight year and THEY, not Mats Sundin, should be held to account for it. JFJ was just the start. There's a lot more house-cleaning to do.
  60. Tim Burr from Canada writes: The fans are the last thing Mats (along with Tucker, Kaberke, Kabina and McCabe)and MLSE care about. The players continue to make a fortune, have nice luxious vacations, without having to worry about the wear and tear of the playoffs and Richard Petty continues to make moronic hiring decisions.

    Most of the tickets are held by corporations who get a nice big tax write-off so they will not give them up no matter how bad the team is and the ownership is made up of pension funds and corporations, so profits are the number 1 consideration rather than success on the ice. Petty is good at generationing revenue from marketing and he will be kept around for that reason.

    We went from Harold Ballard to this mess. The new Boss is the same as the Old Boss...
  61. John Deckhardt from Halifax, Canada writes: For those of you praising Sundin and his integrity - I would wait until the summer to see if he resigns with the Leafs first........if he doesn't he has just royally screwed the team.
  62. John H from Vancouver, Canada writes: Just when I was about to write-off Toronto fans & media, the fans (at least here) come to Mats' rescue. Good to see that integrity and loyalty are still recognized and valued by most people.

    Maybe (and that's a big maybe) the leafs would be better off trading him but I think Mats has earned the right to stay if he wants to. Maybe leaf management should take a page from Sundin's book and show a little loyalty, respect and dignity to those who have toiled so long and so hard for the blue and white.

    Looks like Leaf management has mishandled the puck yet again but the fans are getting wise. This is a train wreck.
  63. drew deganz from Toronto, writes: How can anyone bash Mats Sundin for his decision??
    Is he really the one to blame for the incompetence and mismanagment of MLSE??? It is not up to Mats to fix all the garbage decisions that this organization has made. Take a look at the other organizations and the way they have treated their leaders and captains - Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, Saku Koivu, Mike Modano, Markus Naslund, Jarome Iginla, etc. All of these organizations have surrounded their players with a good supporting cast and have treated them with the respect that they deserve. Frankly, it makes me sick that they would try and run a guy like Mats out of town. He is the all time leading scorer for this franchise and could soon be the longest serving captain. He has been nothing short of a class-act for all his years with the blue & white. To suggest that he should be rented out for draft picks and prospects is an insult! He is not the man to blame for the lack of talent on this team. Why dont you point the finger at the people that have brought this situation to the table - JFJ, Richard Peddie, Larry Tanenbaum, MLSE! Im glad he is staying and I hope that he sticks it to management, it looks good on them!
  64. John H from Vancouver, Canada writes: I forgot to add: I hope the stuffed suits (aka fans) at the ACC have enough sense to give Mats Sundin gets a standing O at his next home game.
  65. Jonah Schuman from D.C., United States writes: Leafs fans are mad, but they really shouldn't be.

    http://bustedscoreboard.wordpress.com/
  66. Super Troll from Canada writes: John H- a standing O?? What BS- he's never even led them past the Conference Finals, and now he's ensured mediocrity for years to come. If Leaf fans were actually sports fans, they should be pelting him with garbage.
  67. Nestor C from Canada writes: @ John Deckhardt.....there is no way that Sundin will re-sign with anybody but TO...for me that's not even a question...not because of his integrity, but because the Leafs will be the highest bidder...hands down....this, IMO, is one of the major factors in his decision to stay; ie. ability to make more money.....is he stays in TO, he remains top of mind and can use the blind sheep in the court of public opinion to get him his dollars, even if it's more than he's worth.....very cunning....

    Furthermore, he also realizes that he can parlay his career ending in TO into a high priced corporate job in the organization.....so he can make more money just for hanging around.......

    Had Sundin actually waived the clause and go to a Cup contender, my opinion of his would have reversed greatly, ie. he actually does want to win! But alas, he is exactly the type of player that he has always shown himself to be, a floater of immense talent that wants to earn a paycheque than actually win.....

    He could have easily quenched his insatiable demand for winning and THEN come back to the team he purports to love, but no, he wants to stay where mediocrity makes you good and good makes you great.....Sundin will never be great.....
  68. drew deganz from Toronto, writes: Super Trull, pelting him with garbage?? You're an idiot. Go cheer for Krusty the Clown.....is this the Sens year again??
  69. John H from Vancouver, Canada writes: Hey SuperTroll,

    I'll bet you're one of those people that loves to hate the leafs because?
    a) they haven't won a cup for 40 years
    b) you hate anything with Toronto in front of it
    c) you've still got a chip on your shoulder because Trudeau laid the NEP on you (how many decades ago was that?)- news flash - the guy's been dead for years and he was from Montreal.
    d) all of the above.
  70. Super Troll from Canada writes: Leaf fans never cease to amaze. Does anyone actually expect him to return after the way MLSE has treated him over this? That, combined with the fact he opted for a 1-year deal last summer instead of 3 point to his exit, to free agency or retirement. If he really wanted to stay why didn't he sign the 3-year deal?

    So he walks and the Fleas get nothing. And Leaf fans rejoice. As usual, Leaf fans just don't get it. Boggles the mind.
  71. True North from The Free West, Canada writes:

    It just shows why players should never ask for No-Trade clauses.

    Now Sundin has no graceful way to exit, as opposed to, say, Ryan Smyth who blubbed his way out of Edmonton and let Kevin Lowe look like the bad guy.

    Still, the Leafs know that draft picks might as well be puck bags for them since they haven't drafted well in decades. With the revenue-sharing agreement in place, no-talent management like T.O. can't buy their way to success anymore.
  72. Alberto Bayo from Canada writes: Sundin should walk away from Toronto after his one year deal is complete. After all the indignities that Leafs management threw at him, attempting to force him out or trade him away, they'll get nothing for him in the end. Loyalty seems to mean very little in Leafs-land. Good luck, Mats...whatever you end up doing in the future.
  73. Nestor C from Canada writes: @ SuperTroll...

    I'll tell you why he only signed a 1 year deal....because he wanted this year to put up better than his 5 year average numbers so he can sign a more juicy contract afterwards....of course with the Leafs since they are the only ones fool enough to overpay for talent....

    FWIW, the whole idea of Sundin not 'liking the renta-player' concept also doesn't hold water....I don't hold it against anyone who decides that they want to compete at the highest level and help a new set of comrades make it to the end....Ray Bourque was a competitor of the highest order and yet he still decided to move from his home...why....because he actually had that competitive fire and will to win.....Sundin has neither of these.....but he masks these unflattering traits with an alledged love of the city....a city where he doesn't live in the off-season and one that he leave immediately upon the Leafs seasonal demise.....you want to see an athlete who loves the city, look at Pinball Clemons....there's a guy who wanted to be here.....

    Sorry Sundin-lovers....his excuses have more holes than SwissCheese.....had he decided to leave for a chance to win, a change of this tune.....
  74. Never Wrong from 'roid room at SKydome Hotel, Canada writes: Sorry R. Bruce Norris, drew deganz, mike cardin and all those in support of Mats' decision... but Cherry is right when he knocks the guts of the Swedish players. This is a classic example of laziness and lack of guts. Sundin's got a comfy life going on here - obviously the fans love him unconditionally despite his shortcomings. Yes, he has underachieved here largely because of management's ineptitude in building a suitable team around him but that doesn't excuse the fact he has become complacent here and has lost the drive to win a championship. What's all this crap about rental players? If he goes to a contender and plays a key role then he deserves a ring for pushing a team to the top of the mountain. This crap about starting with a squad in October is just that - crap. What if an injured player missed the first half of the season and rejoined his team in March and elevated them to the top? How is it different? Is his role worth less b/c that guy missed 50 games - even if he is a key to their success? Lots of people with short memories about a true NHL legend - Ray Bourque. Do you clowns knocking this article think he lacked integrity? Of course he would have loved to win it all in Boston but when that wasn't going to happen because of their management's incompetence, a deal was struck to put him on a contender - there was no guarantee he would win but he sure helped and deserves credit for their win. Wake up people! this is pro sports and the goal is to win the big one, unless you've got a no-trade, guaranteed contract with a big house in Forest Hill. If anything he lacks integrity knowing that he could help the club by allowing them to make a deal that might pay off in the future... when he's sipping lingonberry & vodka by a lake in Sweden.
  75. drew deganz from Toronto, writes: Nestor,

    Give your head a shake. Does not want to win??
    - 2 appearences to the Conference Finals (just a couple games away from the Stanley Cup Finals)
    - 79 points in 86 playoff games
    - NHL record 15 overtime goals (wants to win!)
    - 23rd? on the all time NHL points list

    And you claim that this guy does not have a killer instinct and a will to win??? If this was true then he would not have these numbers and would not be amongst the greatest players of all time! Do you really think that Bruins fans care at all that Ray Bourque won a cup with the Avs?? Do you think Avs fans even care?? People call Mats Sundin a floater.......unreal.
  76. Nestor C from Canada writes: @ drew...

    Blind....

    So I guess you forgot the real hero in the 97/98 playoff run...ie Steve Sullivan....

    Or the real leader of the 01/02 playoff run...that being Gary Roberts.....(when Sundin was hurt for the bulk)

    Has Sundin ever come close to the 100 pt season he had with Quebec? Never.....but apparently his teams were good enough to make it (almost) to the Cup finals....so if they were good enough to make that kind of run (without him in one case) why aren't they good enough to put up some actual superstar numbers with? But we always hear that Sundin has only played with clowns.....not true according to you.....

    Sundin only has power years in contract years......he has also learned that mediocre is good enough in TO....and if he can make LOTS of money being worshipped in a town thats love mediocre, why play hard?

    As I said before, I would have gained a new respect for Sundin had he decided to leave and really go for the gusto.....basically prove he wants to win.....but no, he'd rather not......

    FYI, ask an Avs fan whether Bourque holding the Cup in their sweater means nothing to them.....
  77. Super Troll from Canada writes: Drew- you forgot one stat- zero goals in the last 20 games in last year's 'playoff push'. Guess he didn't want to open the cottage 2 weeks later.
  78. garnet bruce from Waterloo, Canada writes: Well said Trilly B! Sundin understands (and has hinted) that by far the weakest link in this team is behind the bench. What do you think his first condition is going to be when the question of resigning comes up?
  79. drew deganz from Toronto, writes: @ Nestor,

    Actually Nestor he has come close, he had a couple of 90-something point seasons. He has had something like eleven 70 point seasons, do you not consider those power seasons? Im not sure I remember the Steve Sullivan heroics but im sure Sundin was no slouch either that year. Yes, Gary Roberts needed to step-up in Sundins absence, just like any other player on any other team would have. So are you actually suggesting that if Sundin was playing that year, the Leafs would have been worse and would not have gone to the Conference Finals?? Cmon man. The only time that the Leafs put descent players (whom where past their prime) like Roberts, Newy, Thomas and Mogilny, the Leafs made it far. I cant believe that you and others would suggest that he wants to be mediocre and he does not care about winning, how could anybody, especially a man of his like have that kind of disposition. Oh and Troll, check his assists during that span, but I guess assists mean nothing to you. 20 games without a goal, but how many points? They missed the playoffs by one point, give me a break.
  80. Super Troll from Canada writes: Sorry Drewie- assists are great but he's paid to put the rubber in the twine when it counts.

    Sundin = loser.
  81. Super Troll from Canada writes: Garnet- his first condition will a no-trade clause
  82. Robert Coles from Harold Neals, Canada writes: Oh Harry! The greatest player to ever play the game (according to fans of the Make-Me-Laughs and the Canadian Media) is staying in the Smoke. It proves the Laughs and other Canadian-based teams never want to trade a player off their roster. Blame Canada, Blame Canada, they're not a real country anyway. All they care about is the future of a non-Canadian player. Mats has never played for a real team (one of 24 based in the real country: the U.S.of A) Nords, Leafs, Sweden. He has never experienced really life. Most Europeans want to leave their troubled lifestyle and come to America, not poor old Canada. Being European and spending your whole career in two Canadian cities without spending a year or two or 12 in America is just plain wrong. The classic Eddie Murphy movie is named Coming to America, not Coming to Canada. Why would a European player ever ever ever want to play in poor Canada over the powerful U.S.A.?
  83. drew deganz from Toronto, writes: When it counts Troll? What about an NHL record of 15 OT goals?? Another tough question for you, what is it that directly follows an assist??

    What exactly is it that you have against Sundin?? Is it the 4 times he put away your Sens in the playoffs?? Is that chip still resting firmly on your shoulder?? Let it go big guy.....why dont you concentrate on your team and the problems that they could be facing soon?? Is Emery the man to take them all the way?? Im not too sure about that one anymore.
  84. D G from Canada writes: WOW!!!!! Listen to the Leaf fans whine.

    Sundin has a no-trade contract. He isn't going anywhere. The Leafs are going to get nothing for him this season. Deal with it! Enjoy watching other teams in the playoffs for the next 5-10 years boys!
    Maybe Leaf fans should push the NHL to have every team make the playoffs. At lease then you'll have four playoff games!
  85. Super Troll from Canada writes: Drew- when were those OT goals- I thought the Leaf mantra was always 'the regular season doesn't matter'.

    The other old mantra, that they've beaten the Sens in the playoffs, didn't have much to do with Sundown if memory serves.

    We'll see how you feel July 1 when he bolts/retires and the Fleas are left holding the bag, endless more years of failure ensured. Or, he comes back, NTC in hand, and they ice the exact same team without the players/picks they could've had in return.
  86. Super Troll from Canada writes: DG- Leaf fans obviously could care less about making the playoffs- as long as Classy Mats sticks around to avoid any tax headaches. And they get to drink tea and eat sushi at the ACC.