Mats Sundin Tribute thread.....

[Corn Flake]

I remember one game where Sundin had some sort of beef with Kenny Jonsson and he was hitting and punching him all throughout the game.  Sure Sundin wasn't a "hitter" but he was a big body and he COULD bodycheck and really hurt a guy when he wanted to.  I remember a lot of Sundin hits, he wasn't a soft player by any means.

Sundin and Ray Bourque used to have all kinds of crazy battles in the corners too. 

Pretty sure Sundin got awfully rough at times with Chara as well.  I don't think Zed got away with as much on Mats as he did other guys. Sundin wouldn't fight but he was obviously strong as an ox and big enough to not take Chara's crap.

 

[maplesyrup]

I miss Mats.  :'(

There hasn't been a player since he left that I've been even remotely close to having a similar emotional attachment to.

Me too. :'(  Even as much as I loved Mogilny, there was just something special for me about Mats.  I miss the big guy!

Can't wait to watch the ceremony and his jersey be raised.  Got my box of cleanex all ready to go because I'll be balling my eyes out! ;D

One of (if not THE greatest) Leafs ever - I'm partial to Salming but that's just me... I miss him too but the last players I felt an emotional attachment (truly pained with sadness when they left) were Clark and Gilmour... Maybe it's my age? I don't know. That being said, I'm sure I'll be very emotional on Saturday.

 

[ZBBM]

I miss Mats.  :'(

There hasn't been a player since he left that I've been even remotely close to having a similar emotional attachment to.

Me too. :'(  Even as much as I loved Mogilny, there was just something special for me about Mats.  I miss the big guy!

Can't wait to watch the ceremony and his jersey be raised.  Got my box of cleanex all ready to go because I'll be balling my eyes out! ;D

^^^

I'm not into adulation but he's the one sports figure I would love to have the chance to just say thanks to, and shake his hand.  I admired his humility most of all, I guess.

 

[Peter D.]

I caught bits and pieces of the LeafsTV special on him last night, but it helped recapture a whole lot of memories. 

Not only was he a great player, but he was big in the community with charitable events, he embraced the city like no other citing 'til to this day that it's his 2nd home, and he was genuinely more happy when a teammate scored than when he did.  He took a lot of flak over the years for his play and nationality, but it never really seemed to bother him. 

Sometimes it really is true that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone.  One of the biggest regrets I'll have as a Leaf fan is not seeing him hoist the Cup as captain of the team with the likes of McCabe, Kaberle, Tucker, Roberts, CuJo, Quinn, etc.  Watching those moments reminded me how exciting those teams were.

 

[Bender]

I caught bits and pieces of the LeafsTV special on him last night, but it helped recapture a whole lot of memories. 

Not only was he a great player, but he was big in the community with charitable events, he embraced the city like no other citing 'til to this day that it's his 2nd home, and he was genuinely more happy when a teammate scored than when he did.  He took a lot of flak over the years for his play and nationality, but it never really seemed to bother him. 

Sometimes it really is true that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone.  One of the biggest regrets I'll have as a Leaf fan is not seeing him hoist the Cup as captain of the team with the likes of McCabe, Kaberle, Tucker, Roberts, CuJo, Quinn, etc.  Watching those moments reminded me how exciting those teams were.

And they were always in contention. I wasn't around during the Sittler years, and I'm sure his experience was far worse, but Sundin is a bit of a tragic hero like Sittler. Always gave it his all and deserved better, but inept general management (Ballard/Imlach/JFJ) both squandered their best years. I was young back then, and I always wondered why the Leafs just couldn't win the Cup with Sundin (Hoguelund?)

 

[hockeyfan1]

13 Memorable Mats Sundin moments....

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/02/09/sundin_13_moments/

Mats Sundin is one of my all-time favourite Maple Leafs, alongside Borje Salming, of course.

I miss Mats and always will miss Mats ( until the Leafs find themselves another Mats!).  But, there was, and will always be  just one Mats. 

It's going to be an emotional night, Saturday.

 

[Erndog]

Did anyone see the blog Bobby Holik just posted regarding Mats?

Basically, Bobby says it was a privelage to play against him and that Mats was one of the best he ever played against.  He said he ranks Mats ahead of Forsberg, Sakic and Lindros!

Some very kind words for a guy who was matched up against Mats virtually every time they played.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Did anyone see the blog Bobby Holik just posted regarding Mats?

Basically, Bobby says it was a privelage to play against him and that Mats was one of the best he ever played against.  He said he ranks Mats ahead of Forsberg, Sakic and Lindros!

Some very kind words for a guy who was matched up against Mats virtually every time they played.

That is some respect right there...

 

[ZBBM]

Did anyone see the blog Bobby Holik just posted regarding Mats?

Basically, Bobby says it was a privelage to play against him and that Mats was one of the best he ever played against.  He said he ranks Mats ahead of Forsberg, Sakic and Lindros!

Some very kind words for a guy who was matched up against Mats virtually every time they played.

And Holik usually had Sundin's number, too.  Link?

 

[ZBBM]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLmwElcaF7c&feature=g-vrec&context=G2ef3f1dRVAAAAAAAABg[/youtube]

Seeing Gretzky in this one reminded me of my favorite Gretzky commercial cameo.  (It has nothing to do with Sundin, sorry to be off topic.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GPxkpjCvWI

EDIT:  And I thought I'd post this one too, which does have to do with Mats: the beginning of the end for Cujo, not in the 2002 Olympics, but as a Leaf (remember when he didn't shake PQ's hand back at the ACC?).  Ironic that it was Mats who torched him, twice (at about 1:00 and 2:50).  The second Sundin goal looks a lot like his OT winner against the sens later that year (I think it was later that year).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvqYi036JCI

 

[maplesyrup]

I want to see Sundin roll up in a chopper... with Hoglund asleep in the side car.   

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Pictures seem to speak for themselves, no?

 

[Al14]

IMHO Sundin was not 'franchise' player, but simply a very good hockey player.

When he could have really helped the team, he copped out!  He should have allowed himself to be traded for the good of the team.  Instead, he talked about not wanting to join a new team mid-season!  And then, he goes and signs up to play with Vancouver half into the next season.  He lied, and for that, I'll never be a big fan of his time as a Leaf.

 

[Deebo]

Instead, he talked about not wanting to join a new team mid-season!  And then, he goes and signs up to play with Vancouver half into the next season.  He lied, and for that, I'll never be a big fan of his time as a Leaf.

He wasn't sure he wanted to play so he didn't take a 2 year 20 million deal from Vancouver that was offered on July 1. When he was sure he wanted to play, the Leafs weren't interested, so what should he have done?

Taken the 20 million when he wasn't sure he would play out the contract?

Retired when he still wanted to play?

Forced the Leafs to sign him?

 

[Bill_Berg]

I can't find the actual numbers anywhere, but I remember Bowen saying during a game that Sundin had the NHL record for most game tying and game winning goals in the same game. That's clutch. And I remember heading into the third period of games down by a goal and not worrying because we had Sundin.

The negativity surrounding him because he refused to leave the team is nothing more than childish crap.

 

[Sudafederov]

Geez, I'm already getting misty eyed the day before.

 

[Kin]

When he could have really helped the team, he copped out!  He should have allowed himself to be traded for the good of the team.  Instead, he talked about not wanting to join a new team mid-season!  And then, he goes and signs up to play with Vancouver half into the next season.  He lied, and for that, I'll never be a big fan of his time as a Leaf.

Look, let's nip this in the bud right now. Someone changing their mind about something a year later does not qualify as a lie. He didn't cop out. He wasn't a liar. Every single day the guy was in a Leafs uniform he gave it his 100%. That's all we can expect from a player. Expecting a player to do accept a trade when he doesn't want one "for the good of the team" is nonsense. Unless you're more interested in your employers well being than your own you have no business expecting that of anyone.

You say "when he really had a chance to help the team". So that only applies to his last season on the team where he was above a ppg at 37 years old and the worst thing you can say about him is that he didn't want to accept a trade made advantageous to the team only because the team you think he should have sacrificed to help ran itself into the ground? His "chance" to really help the team didn't apply to his all-world play and tireless effort during the 12 years he played for the team? Scoring all of those overtime goals, carrying all of those crummy linemates on his back, that wasn't him "really helping the team"?

If Mats Sundin was the kind of player who would "cop out" on the Maple Leafs it would have happened at one of his many opportunities to go elsewhere and sign with a team where he didn't have to deal with the media headaches, clubhouse lawyers and Jonas Hoglund's of the world. Any team would have jumped at the chance to add him but he stuck it out with the Maple Leafs and only played elsewhere when the team told him they didn't have room for him.

If you look over Mats Sundin's career and don't think that he was dedicated enough to the team, that he let the team down when they needed him, then I really question whether or not following sports is for you. If you want stories about people being as dedicated to something as you expected Mats Sundin to be the corporate entity that is the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, read the Twilight books or some other BS fairy tale.

Mats Sundin owns just about every meaningful record you could own on the Maple Leafs. He wasn't a show-off, he wasn't a coach-killer and he never embarrassed the team. He was active in the community, dealt with the media with pretty extraordinary honesty and patience and played through pain. He scored big goals, was a great leader on the ice and did it all while representing his country as well as any hockey player.

You don't want to be a "big fan" of that? Fine. Scotiabank Place is thataway. Don't let the door hit you. 

 

[ZBBM]

Nik, that's the best post I've read here in a very long time. Thanks for articulating so forcefully what I think are all the essential truths about Sundin's career as a Leaf.

I'm confident that the know-nothings will all be somewhere else tomorrow night and that the ceremony will be something to remember.

 

[Tigger]

Holik's comments were nice to see, pretty sound applause from a nemesis.

Also, what Nik said.

 

[Swede]

Atta-boy Saint Nik .