Mats Sundin's Future

There have been rumours floating around about Mats Sundin thinking of making a decision in the near future. Last season proved to only be about the Sundin saga and boy was it annoying. This year hopefully he will make a decision much faster because no one wants to go through that torture again. Hockeybuzz had a great time with his indecision no doubt about that with the amount of times he was rumoured to be going to every team in the NHL.

There are many reasons for me to write about Sundin and his possible return for another go at the cup everyone craves to hold at the end of the season. I think he might actually consider returning to the Leafs for his last season before he retires and heads back to his lavish house in Sweden. The Leafs are as of now lacking offensive star power and Sundin would clearly become that number one center we are looking for. Financially he would have to take a pay cut and I am sure he would be willing to do that to wear the Leafs jersey once again. The problem is that the Leafs are going down another path where only youngsters are allowed, Burke has been keen on keeping the team young and not adding too many veterans. Sundin is old and Burke would have to consider that before offering Sundin a contract. There is also the little dillemma of the Leafs not being a stanley cup contender thus Sundin would again be going through a losing season most likely even if they make the playoffs.

Due to the many problems behind the signing of Mats Sundin, Brian Burke will probably not even look down that road and just scratch this possibility off his list. This would certainly go down as an attempt for a quick fix and we all know those don’t work too often with the Maple Leafs. Plus it wouldn’t be nice to see Sundin have to go through the rigours of the regular season only to see the Leafs completely miss the playoffs or to lose in the first round after barely crawling into the last playoff spot. Mats Sundin will have to look at his option and perhaps he might even head back to Vancouver for another go with Luongo and the boys at the Stanley Cup. It’s a tough choice no doubt about it, but there certainly will be interest from a few teams that are a piece away from the cup. As long as he keeps his financial demands on the lower end of the spectrum he will easily find a home and a team where winning the cup is a real possiblity.

There is the option of retirement if he doesn’t find the right fit, but I just don’t see him retiring. If he does then good on him cause it’s really hard watching him play for another NHL team and scoring goals for them. Whatever he decides, he’s been a great player for the Leafs and will always remain a legend here in Toronto. Although please Mats let’s not make this too long for us poor souls.