The ultimate goal of any professional athlete is reaching the pinnacle of their respective sport. In the NHL, that pinnacle is winning the Stanley Cup. Mats Sundin is one of the greatest players to ever lace up his skates and play the game of hockey but like so many others, he is still in search of his sport’s holy grail and yesterday when given a chance to possibly achieve that goal, he passed.
Sundin has been the face of the Toronto Maple Leafs as their captain for several seasons. A fan favorite who brings immense talent and leadership to what has been a dysfunctional organization over the last decade or so, Sundin is widely respected throughout the league as a “gamer” who brings it night in and night out. As the trade deadline approached over the last few weeks, rumors swirled that the Leafs were considering trading Sundin, an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, in an attempt to acquire some young assets who could help in righting what has been a ship lost at sea over the last few seasons. These rumors were met with varying opinions from the Leafs’ very vocal and committed fan base. While most roared against the trading of their beloved captain, a growing portion of the fans saw the upside in moving Sundin now and building for the future considering the team as currently assembled is not considered a contender to make any noise in this year’s postseason tournament.
The thought was that if Sundin were to be moved to a contending team like the Red Wings or defending champion Ducks, he would be given an opportunity to play for the Cup and the Leafs could recieve a package of young players and draft picks that could bring them closer to returning to the upper echelon of teams in a wide open eastern conference as early as next season. Sundin could then decide to return to Toronto during the summer through free agency and rejoin a much stronger team for the foreseeable future. These plans were scrapped yesterday however when Sundin declined to waive his no trade clause and remain with the Leafs for the rest of this season.
Many fans and pundits rejoiced at his decision calling it “a show of loyalty” to the organization but I feel that it was just the opposite. Sundin was given the perfect opportunity to not only help himself but also the organization he feels so strongly about and he showed that what some critics have said about his desire to win might just be true after all. Nobody doubts that Sundin plays hard each shift and that he is a great leader and teammate but there are doubts about his ability to step up in the big games. By declining to waive his no trade clause, Sundin has done nothing to dispell those doubts.
I think Sundin’s upcoming free agency was the overwhelming factor in his decision yesterday, not his loyalty to the Leafs. What if Sundin were traded to the Wings or Ducks, a team full of great players and still could not deliver in the big games while going for the Cup? His value, while it would still be high, could be seriously diminished come summer when he is on the open market. He has always been considered a great player who was just unable to carry a team whose management couldn’t get out of it’s own way at times, but what if the reality is Sundin is comfortable being in that situation and doesn’t feel the need to prove he is anything more. The comment he has been repeating for a few weeks since these rumors surfaced that he has “never believed in the concept of being a rental player” only creates more questions about his desire to compete for the sport’s ultimate prize. If Sundin is such a loyal player, why wouldn’t he jump at the opportunity to do anything he can to improve the organization he feels so strongly about (especially when at the same time he would have a shot at winning the cup), it makes no sense. He could easily return to his Leafs next season(an improved team due to the players acquired in a trade for himself), whether he wins a championship or not, and sign a deal which would most likely ensure he finishes his career there and goes into the Hall of Fame with a Toronto sweater on. What if free agency comes about and Sundin is approached by another team with a max-money deal that he cannot turn down and leaves Toronto? Will the fans still be behind his decision if he leaves the team in a lurch with nothing to show for it? The truth is Sundin, like so many others who hide behind the word “loyalty” is only looking after himself in this situation and unless he somehow can use this whole debacle to rally his teammates and lead them on a surprising run into the playoffs and beyond, he has probably passed on his best opportunity to hoist the Stanley Cup during his career while at the same time ensuring that the Leafs will remain trapped in their current state of mediocrity for the foreseeable future.
