I am wearing my Mats Sundin jersey today. The Toronto Maple Leaf released this statement yesterday.
"I have carefully considered the team's request that I waive my no-trade clause. I have always believed I would finish my career as a Toronto Maple Leaf so the actual request was still a very difficult one for me to contemplate. I have spoken to and listened to my family and those closest to me about this issue. In the end, there is no right decision in a situation like this one.”
"I cannot leave my teammates and join another NHL club at this time," Sundin added.
"I have never believed in the concept of a rental player. It is my belief that winning the Stanley Cup is the greatest thing you can achieve in hockey but for me, in order to appreciate it you have to have been part of the entire journey and that means October through June. I hope everyone will understand and respect my decision."
Back in the days when men knew what the word chivalry meant, it was considered honourable for the captain to go down with his sinking ship. Men understood that honour and courage were virtues and they sought to live life in a way that accepted even hard providences with a resolute heart.
Mats Sundin has played for the Leafs for 13 years. He has captained them for ten. During that time he has developed into one of hockey’s most dependable elite players with a knack for scoring the big goal when most needed.
He is not a fighter... and that has always kept some
You see, this is what I have always loved about Mats. He takes the high road. Oh, he is not perfect, but in a long NHL season, it is Mats who has to come and talk to the press when the team loses. It is Mats who has to be positive about poor goaltending. And Mats has to publicly support really pathetic management. Somewhere along the line, he figured out his role as captain and he has served in that capacity brilliantly.
And now Mats says he wants to finish out in the city he loves with a jersey he loves on his back. And why? Because this is his team. He is the captain. These are the guys he has fought through a bad season with. Sure he could bolt to some contender, get the team a few draft picks and maybe win the cup. But for loyal men, that stinks of treason.
My land, for once in this sad world of professional sports a multi-million dollar athlete is thinking about somebody else! “Oh,” say the critics, “if he were thinking about others he would let the team trade him.” Are you kidding me? His loyalties are in order, and they start with the guys in that locker room. Very Canadian, one might say.
The jersey looks good. No signs of the sleeve-lengthening you had done.
ReplyDeleteI'm also happy with this decision by Mats. For you see, it will guarantee at least a few more years of Leaf futility. That's my kind of man, too!!
DR-
ReplyDelete"Bah" to your "more futility" comment! As if the trade would bring in massive assets! Mats is on the end of a one-year deal and has openly announced his indecision about whether he will play the next year. What is a contender going to give up for that... as valuable as a leader and playmaker like Mats would be in the mean time?
As far as the jersey, you are almost right. It took me two weeks to find one that fit! I had to have it made down at the ACC. True story.
In fact, when I play hockey, I am relegated to wearing goalie jerseys, as not even a XXL gets over my mammoth frame (and equipment).
Look what Philly got for Forsberg last year and he was damaged goods! Face it, this is about Mats being comfortable in Toronto with his cushy lifestyle and big salary. Winning the cup means more to us Canadians than it does the Swedes.
ReplyDeleteDoes he really love this Toronto team? Not according to this definition of love: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." This he is unwilling to do. He could easily sign back here in the summer if he was so inclined.
I say back to the mothballs with that unsightly rag!!
We all know you are egging me on.
ReplyDeleteWe all know that I am right.
Move to Buffalo! :-)
"We all know you are egging me on."
ReplyDeleteMe? Never. :-)
I found the article written by Bill Lankhof helpful.
ReplyDeletePlayers sign no-trade deals because they want to retain the right of refusal. Evidently Leaf mgmt found the contract palatable, they signed it too! Why should Mats bail out the Leafs when they find themselves in a quandary over Fergie's idiotic signings, eg. Kubina, McCabe, Tucker, not to mention the plethora of under-sized, semi-skilled 3rd and 4th liners they persist in signing?
And Brooker, you're only partially right. While it may have helped the Leafs to pick up a couple of prospects for Sundin, the habitual mismanagement of the Toronto squad would have destroyed those youngsters before they would have a chance to develop anyway.
As a lifelong Leaf fan, I've learned to never underestimate the ability of the Leaf organization to mess things up good and often.
Mind you, I haven't seen any real success from the Sabres either. They've been in the league 37 years, won zero cups. The Leafs won 7 or 8 cups in their first 37 years, back when the league wasn't watered down. ;-)
How sad is it that I just spent 3 minutes looking at the books on your shelf
ReplyDeleteNever mind the jersey, look at all those books! I'd be interested to hear some of the titles on the bookshelves! :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe he's a Christian.
ReplyDeleteMe or Mats?!?!
ReplyDeletehave to say, I appreciated this post. mats sundin is a good man. :)
ReplyDeleteStill got that jersey on? :-)
ReplyDeleteFrom PokerStars.com:
A long time card player, Sundin said, "I have always enjoyed playing poker and partnering with PokerStars gives me the opportunity to challenge myself and explore the full potential of my game. I believe the fighting spirit I’ve developed as a hockey pro will really help me at the tables."
"I am very proud to become an ambassador for PokerStars. It means I will be more able to fulfill my personal ambition of working with charities around the world and I will be donating 100 percent of the money I earn from playing poker to charity," he said. "For me, the combination of excitement and challenge in poker, plus the potential to support good causes is a win-win situation."
What jersey?
ReplyDeleteThe record of the 74-75 Washington Capitals 8-67-5 for 21pts, was the worst in NHL history. I'm thinking the 08-09 Leafs have a shot at that record!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to a lot of high-brow banter in the upcoming season! :)
Welcome to the Toronto Maple Marlies. I have no hope. Not a shred. It will be misery. I am shifting my sports allegiance to Aussie Football. Banter all you wish. I yield.
ReplyDelete