Mats Playing Cat and Mouse with NHL

1) The biggest remaining question these days in the news starved hockey media world is where will Mats Sundin end up playing? This immense amount of interest is in part due to the fact that Mats played in the hockey media mecca, Toronto the past 14 years and they have invested all their time in trying to find out where he will go. (They are bored/trying to sell papers) The other is that he's the best remaining free agent available. Since almost every other blog has weighed in on this issue, we figured it was time we at FAUXRUMORS had our say.




2) There have been multiple (thus far false) reports that he has agreed to go here or there.

• The going rumour de-jour in June was he was going to play in NY to take Jagr's place. Sure JJ left town, but the Rangers chose (wisely) to pass on paying oodles of money for an aging vet, and instead build around youth and pay a lot less for another aging Swede (Naslund).



• Later we were told that Montreal had the upper hand. That Bob Gainey was set to trade for his rights before the draft, and grab the big guy only to hear later that Mats was still undecided on where he'd like to go so asked that teams not trade for his rights.


• Some, especially among the Toronto media delegation believed that he would return to Toronto after all, but as we noted last month that possibility is very remote being that we were told that bridges have been burned back to Toronto.



• Then we hear a totally fabricated story that he was in negotiations for a contract to play in the KHL. The Russian team DID contact Mats agent, yes, but they were quickly rebuffed. The phone call we're told lasted about 30 seconds. At no time has Sundin considered playing there.



• Most recently we were told that Mats had already signed to play in Vancouver only to back track to say that a decision won't be forthcoming for another 2 weeks.

3) Some are saying further still that Sundin is set to retire. Can't imagine Mats will retire yet. Most players start to feel the itch about a month or so before the season starts (see Favre) Certainly Sundin doesn't need the money, but unless he has a family issue, what else does he plan to do for the next couple of years? Overall, it would seem that Vancouver would be a the logical fit: Why?

• Mats is on record saying he likes playing in Canada. He's played his entire career north of the border, so its his apparent comfort zone, so its unlikely he'll leave to move south at this late date in his career


• They are offering (supposedly) a nice 2 year 20 mil deal? Again, Mats isn't starving for cash, but one last nice pay day would be hard to turn away from


• Mats appears to not care if he wins (he won't in Vancouver). We have argued with several other bloggers that IF Mats really wanted to win a Stanley Cup, he would have waived his NTC last spring and move to a contender and not stay in Toronto where it was unlikely they'd make the playoffs, and almost impossible they'd win the Cup


• The Olympics are in Vancouver next year so would be nice to play for the reigning gold medal Sweden in Vancouver in 2010 in front of home fans.

4) Clearly we aren't underestimating the worth of having Sundin added to a roster, but it also should NOT be over estimated either. He would NOT be the difference maker in Vancouver where they are more than one piece away from winning a Cup. He could propel them back into the post season, but we don't see a Cup in the Canuck's future with or without Mats. Montreal could be another story. There he would potentially fit well with their mix of veterans and youngsters, who with Sundin could return to Cup contention in 09. What we do NOT want to see is a LONG drawn out soap opera that goes into the season like a Peter Forsberg or to a lesser extent Teemu Salenne. Shit or get off the pot Mats, we don't want to have to be reading about your potential destinations in September and beyond!