SHOCKER: Sundin Takes the Money

"I have carefully considered the team's request that I waive my no-trade clause," Sundin said in a statement. "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 cannot leave my teammates and join another NHL Club at this time. 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."

--Mats Sundin, February 24, 2008 (approx)

Flash forward about 10 months, to today, December 17, 2008, when Mats finally, mercifully, ended the speculation about whether and where he'd play during the 2008/2009. And yes, to answer your question, he will be a rental player. For which team you ask? Well, brace yourselves folks, for this is about to shock you...

Mats Sundin has decided to play for the Vancouver Canucks, the team that, coincidentally, offered him the most amount of money in the offseason (2 years at $10M per).

Yes, the Nucks have a roster with a bunch of Swedes, including the Sedin twins, but no I don't believe they are a legit Stanley Cup contender, even with Mats, because they play in the West, and the road to the Cup goes through San Jose and/or Detroit. The other team rumored to be a final destination, the NY Rangers, would have had a far easier path to the Cup. So, ultimately, Mats chose the cash. I hope he's happy retiring at the end of this year (or next, or the one after, or whenever he finally decides to hang em up) without having ever won a Cup.

And Toronto, be sure to circle your calendars for February 21, 2009... when the Vancouver Canucks are back in Toronto.

Who's going to that game? And if so, what kind of reception will you give him? Even if you're not going, what kind of reception will you give him?

--

Sorry for making him sound like an ahole, but I am kind of upset. On the other hand this little post, about a guy who won a Poker Stars tournament and got to sit in a box with Mats, makes him sound like a pretty nice guy. I'll bet he was pissed too when he found out the Rangers lost the Sundin Sweepstakes.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: What We've Missed

The staff here at TPTFUA have been on vacation for the long weekend due to a wedding out in Palm Springs (Congrats, Wooly!). We're back now though, nursing hangovers and easing into the workweek. Here's a run down of what's happening and what we missed...

The good: Leafs shock the world by playing some inspired hockey and winning their opener vs. Detroit.
The bad: Leafs go up 3-0 early on St. Louis during yesterday's matinee, but ultimately blow it and lose 5-4 in a shootout. Why the heck was Kubina taking one of the crucial shots during the skills competition?
The even worse: Ryan Hollweg is a thug (and not even a very good one) who arguably cost the Leafs a victory yesterday, but certainly killed the momentum from a good first period. Lots of indignation out there in the blogosphere. I say the NHL should suspend him and Leafs should put him on waivers - then send him down. If he cleans up his act after serviving the suspension and doing some time in the minors, then give him one final shot.

The good: Sundin is back in Toronto and word is that he's picked up the intensity of his work-outs.
The bad: I continue to believe that Sundin is unlikely to return to the Leafs lineup ever again, unless he simply wants a paycheck and a tee time in April.... in which case I don't really want him. Don't get too worked up over this report - he has a home in Toronto and is likely back here to get in close proximity to teams in the northeast, and to get mentally and physically ready for a December return to the NHL. My guess is still NYR or Philly.

The good: The Jays found a "new" President for the club!
The bad: What's old is new again! Like the Leafs' hiring of Cliff Fletcher, the Jays put no original thought into the hire and simply hired someone from the past on an "interim" basis (Hint: it rhymes with Easton!). Even worse, both Toronto clubs ultimately chose to go this throwback route during a very important time at which both clubs seem to be at a cross-roads. Vision and leadership are needed - yet we're getting guys who haven't led a club in a decade or more. Sad, really.

The good: 40 year old Canadian "slugger" (and former Blue Jay) Matt Stairs hit the game winning homer for the Phillies last night to put his team up 3-1 in the series.
The bad: Fox must be crapping themselves over the fear of a possible Tampa Bay vs. Philly World Series. Ratings in the U.S. are going to be terrible for this one - especially when L.A.-Boston was an alternative.
The upside: More time to watch hockey!

The good: Tex's fantasy football trade of Kellen "Grapefruit Balls" Winslow-Wes Welker and Felix Jones to Billy Bee in exchange for Reggie Bush-Roddy White and Zack Miller. Super Bowl, here I come.
The really ugly: R.I.P. Alexei Cherepanov. The 19-year old kid died yesterday in Russia after his heart stopped on the bench during a KHL game. Reports continue to trickle in, but word is that it took an ambulance 15+ minutes to get to the rink, and that the defibrillator ran out of batteries and couldn't be used to save his life. I wonder how many NHL'ers are going to look at this disturbing video before heading over there to sign a contract next off season.

Its election day in Canada - don't forget to get out and vote!

I never thought that I would be so excited for the Leafs to have another tough season. The playoffs are a distant memory for Leaf's Faithful at this point, and this season does not promise to be any different. We have a new coach, no captain, and a GM who can barely climb a flight of stairs. CBS Sports is starting Toronto in the basement of their Power Rankings, and rightfully so.

However, there is a big difference between this season and the many brutal campaigns that have preceded it; this time, the Leafs management are making the CHOICE to do poorly. Well, maybe not to do poorly, but to make certain sacrifices this season and next in order to build a strong foundation for the future. I hope that the Leaf's win as many games as possible this year. I know that tanking another season might provide a higher draft pick, but there is some considerable young talent on the team and they might surprise everyone a few times throughout the season. Let's just say that I hope they do okay, but I won't be paying the $15/month this season for Leafs TV.

This team is a hodgepodge of nonsense at this point, but there are some players that I will be watching as the season goes on.

Mark "Party Boy" Bell

Now I don't condone drinking and driving, but I give him props for twice the legal limit. That's an athlete. Mark Bell still has some serious potential. I expected more out of him last year, but after all the shit he dealt with the year before, one off season can be tolerated. This guy can hit, provide vocal leadership in the dressing room, and put points up on the board. He's got an Eric Lindros type build, and the grit to get the job done. With Darcy Tucker and Wade Belak gone, Mark Bell is the guy who needs to do the dirty work. This team has lots of young prospects, and Bell and Jamal Mayers are going to have to provide "aggressive support" to make sure that they have room to operate.

Matt Stajan

No one showed more heart than this kid towards the end of last season. He wants to be a Leaf, and he will do anything that he can for the team. He needs to spend more time in the gym, and if he develops his scoring game a bit more he could follow in the Gary Roberts style of; heart, scoring, and sacrificing his body for the team. We haven't seen as much improvement from Stajan in recent years as expected, but maybe with the team goal now being rebuilding, he can get the support he needs to improve and put the puck in the net. He's not getting any younger, he needs to take the next step now.

With Mats gone, the Leafs need to find a player or two who can generate some additional offense. We have a couple of prospects who may work out, but the reality is that most of them likely won't. This franchise has a history of picking up total deadbeats or washed up veterans to solve this problem. Let's not forget Jonas Hoglund, Dmitri Khristich, or the Player Formally Known as Lindros. I would like to see the Leafs add one or two scorers who are young enough that they can stick around for 5 or 6 productive seasons, have played in a big market before and won't be rattled by the Toronto media, and show strong leadership qualities. This team needs an offensive leader and mentor to the young kids.

A couple players who could fill that role:

Michael Cammalleri
This could be tough as he'll be playing with Iginla and will likely have a strong season. He's only 26, has improved consistantly on a bad team before joining the Flames, and was strong as a junior. He's a UFA after this season, and the Leafs always have the cash.

Joffrey Lupul
A good ol' Canadian Prairie boy who's only 25 would be a great pick up for the Leafs. After moving around for a couple of seasons, Lupul could be looking to stick around in Philly for a season or two (he just resigned a long term contract). Again, everyone moves for the right deal.

Although the Leafs aren't going to win the Cup this season, they need to make sure every decision from here on out is well thought out. Jason Blake and Jamal Mayers will provide the team with some guys who have been around the block, but the Leafs need to build leaders who can be with the team for the long haul. Wendal, Dougie, and Sundin were the heartbeat of their teams, and it's imperative that this team makes a strong choice when filling this role.

The Debate Recap: Who Will be the Next Leader of the Leafs?

"Lead: to go before or with to show the way..."

Back in August, plenty of members of the Barilkosphere raised the question... Who should be the Leafs' next captain?

Given that the puck drops on the 2008-2009 season in just a few days, it seemed like a good idea to re-open the question. New coach Ron Wilson and Grandpa Cliffy have already gone on record as saying that this team is unlikely to compete for the Cup this year, which is a hint of pragmatism that has been sorely lacking from this club in the post-lockout era. The reality is that Darryl Sittler is not walking through that door! Wendal Clark is not walking through that door. Doug Gilmour is not walking through that door!

With that in mind, here's a quick look at the potential candidates we're stuck with this year and their stance on the issues...

Tomas Kaberle - The most natural and most popular choice repeated throughout the Barilkosphere. The longest serving Leaf. Hard to make too strong a case against him, except that he was a member of the Muskoka 5 and would be a leader cut from the mold of Sundin - not overly vocal and letting his play lead the way. The club could do worse.

Mats Sundin - Speaking of Sundin, I'm sorry to say it, but he's not walking through that door either. While some think he's still got the "jam" to come back and play this year - whatever the hell that means - at this point it seems impossible to believe that he'll be back in a TML uniform. This is going to be a bad club, and everyone knows it. Mats included. As the definition states above, to lead is to "go with." Mats isn't here - and as such shouldn't be considered for the Captain position. I also can't believe that, if he does make a miraculous return to Hogtown, whether it be sometime in November or December, or beyond, that Ron Wilson and the team will just give the "C" to a guy who couldn't be bothered to be with the team from the start. I'm calling it now: the Mats era is over. RIP. 1997-2008.

Antropov/Kubina - Borat and Kubina are good players who haven't been good long enough, or around long enough. Let's see them both improve on the seasons they had last year and emerge as true leaders of this team, and then we can start talking.

Steen/Stajan - I lump of 'em together for the sake of getting this post up quickly. They are pretty good young players who have a lot of development to do if they want a roster spot for years to come. Neither of them have ever lead this team anywhere, so why bother putting the extra pressure on them to be Captain of this terrible team? If they want that role - let them grow into it and earn it, rather than thrusting it onto them far too early in their careers.

Jamal Mayers - A hustle guy. A grinder. By all accounts a good guy. But a new face and not the Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Luke Schenn - With every game that passes, and every Leaf d-man that goes down with injury, it looks more and more likely that this kid is going to start the season with the big club. Right now he looks like a future Norris Trophy winner and a steady hand on the blue line for years to come. If it turns out that way, he may very well be wearing the "C" sooner than we think. Not this soon though.

Curtis Joseph - Roberto Luongo was recently tabbed as Captain of the Canucks and is expected to, as the National Post unfortunately put it, "lead the way from behind." Why can't CuJo do the same? Despite Mike Toth's shot at the guy (whatever those "shots" are worth), and despite the fact that he bailed on the Leafs during a teary presser back when this team was at a crossroads, his career has suffered for it. But more importantly, he knows it. CuJo has come back to T.O. with baseball hat in hand, humbled by the experience, knowing that his role would be to wear that baseball hat rather than a mask, and with the goal to help guide the younger guys through the process of adjusting to life in the NHL. This isn't a team built to win right now, and the focus should be on that growth and development of the younger players so that they do, indeed, turn into regular NHL starters - and god forbid, stars. Its not an outrageous choice and, on the upside, it would mean no one would actually wear the "C" this year. That's change I can believe in.

Conclusion: I have to side with Down Goes Brown on this one: Don't give it to anyone. But, if they feel they have to, then give it to CuJo. In the interim, put three "A's" on the ice each game and rotate them between Kaberle, Borat, Kubina, Stajan/Steen, and whoever else steps up and earns the recognition. Use it as a carrot to reward guys throughout the season, and to introduce them to the concept of leadership - instead of thrusting it onto those who don't want it and can't handle it. Of course, if Mats does come back, then save a permanent "A" for him. We can't stay mad at you forever, Mats!

Since the fate of this franchise seems to be in limbo, along with its management structure, let's just leave the captaincy in that same state until someone reaches up and grabs it.