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The Tampa Bay Lightning are believed to be the latest club interested in obtaining free agent Mats Sundin – if he decides to play again.
While the NHL community awaits Sundin's decision, his agent, J.P. Barry, confirmed two more clubs have recently expressed interest in his client.
Barry would not reveal the two new teams that have joined the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers in the pursuit of the veteran centre, but one is believed to be the Lightning.
Sundin not only met with Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher last Friday and Canadiens boss Bob Gainey on Saturday in Toronto, he also played in the Right to Play charity game with his old buddy, new Lighting forward Gary Roberts, as well as new Tampa Bay owner Oren Koules.
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True, the Lightning are close to the NHL's $56.7-million (all currency U.S.) salary cap and therefore don't have room to add Sundin's salary, which is expected to be in the $7-million neighbourhood. But the Lightning could save some valuable cap space if injured forward Jeff Halpern is unable to play this season because of his injured right knee and rookie Steven Stamkos is returned to junior.
Halpern's status is uncertain because of the injury he suffered at the world championship last spring. His long-term salary would not count against the salary cap. Same with Stamkos if he is sent back to his junior team, the Sarnia Sting of the OHL.
The Sundin to the Sunshine State scenario is a long-shot development, but it just gives the deliberating Swede another possible situation to reflect on.
Gainey informed a gathering in St. John's on Sunday, where he was helping to launch a Rocket Richard exhibit, that Sundin was still deciding whether he could draw enough emotion to play an 18th NHL season.
“I had a nice two hours with Mats Sundin in Toronto [on Saturday],” Gainey said.
“He's interested. I told him to make a decision. I said: ‘If you feel like you want to retire, then retire. But if you're not sure, you should play and the emotion will come.'”
Montreal and Toronto were the only two clubs that Sundin met with before he returned to Europe.
“Gainey simply laid out in detail an excellent case for why Mats should play in Montreal,” Barry said. “He also explained that they likely don't have the same latitude to wait too long and would like an answer quite soon, as they have other plans and options in the works.”
