Note: This article has been submitted by regular contributor and second baseman extraordinaire, Deven Hiscock.
Should Mats Sundin wave his no-trade clause? Is this the best move for the franchice? For Sundin?
The NHL trade deadline is getting closer and closer and everyone is looking to make a move, either to get a big name or get rid of one. The trade deadline is sometimes like playing Russian Roulette in that General Managers can either define themselves as deadline deal masters or victims of delusions of Stanley Cup parades. Last season the major buzz around the deadline was obviously the market for then-Philadelphia forward Peter Forsberg. Nashville was the supposed “winner” of those sweepstakes giving up solid defense prospect Ryan Parent, Scottie Upshall (a regular contributor for Philly) and a first and third round draft pick.
The trade did little to help Nashville as they lost their first round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks in five games. This season, Forsberg is playing in Sweden and the Predators, who were coming off of a 51 win campaign the year before, are already just a few losses away from matching all of last season’s total. The Philadelphia Flyers, who finished in the bottom of the NHL standing last season, are currently leading their division and look to have rebounded from a tough 06/07 campaign. This was an example of a great deadline deal for Philadelphia and a trigger happy Predators team hoping to find that missing piece. Of course, Forsberg would have been traded to another team if Nashville hadn’t taken the offer, but you can’t help but think of the long term effects of the trade.
So the question that interim General Manager Cliff Fletcher has to answer is: resign Mats Sundin and try to improve the team now or trade the captain and start the rebuilding process? After witnessing the shellacking the Leafs took from the Florida Panthers recently, hopefully Fletcher is leaning towards the latter. A deal of the Forsberg variety is one that the Toronto Maple Leafs need to make if they are going to have the same kind of season Philadelphia is having (this season) in the next three to four years. That means that Mats Sundin needs to board a plane and travel somewhere else to don another jersey for another team, for the next two to four months, depending on playoff success. Not only will this give Sundin a taste of playoff hockey, for which he was born to play, it will help drastically in improving the team. A package deal for Sundin would command a deal similar to the one Forsberg garnered.Anaheim is rumored as one of the top candidates to pick up Sundin should he waive his no-trade clause. More importantly, they have the Edmonton Oilers’ first round pick as part of the Dustin Penner signing. With the Oilers sitting 13th in the Western Conference and in the lower half of the league, that draft pick could be in the top five. This is going to be a deep draft class so a top five pick would definitely help a team looking to rebuild.
Another team interested in Sundin is the Vancouver Canucks, who would offer the team’s first round draft pick, defenseman Luc Bourdon and possibly goalie Corey Schnieder. The Calgary Flames are also interested in acquiring Sundin and would offer a package including Alex Tanguay, who is only under contract until the end of next season. And it has just recently been rumored the Philadelphia Flyers will throw their name in the hat if Peter Forsberg doesn’t return to the city of brotherly love. They would offer forward Jeff Carter and their first round draft pick.
So there is definitely a market for the Leafs’ captain and Mats needs to realize that the fast track to a Stanley Cup is a part time divorce from the franchise. Then, a reconciliation in the summer much like what Doug Weight does every season.
But it needs to be remembered that it will take more than just a trade of Sundin to help turn this franchise around. Philadelphia was in position to have a bounce back season, so don’t expect the Leafs to do the same, should Mats depart, it’s going to take a long term committment and a lot of patience.
Note: This article has been submitted by regular contributor and second baseman extraordinaire, Deven Hiscock.
Nice article Devin. Despite an almost 24/7 coverage of the Leafs on TSN Im actually fairly un-informed about the Leaf’s current position in the trade market, so this was good, and straight-up, unlike TSN….
I’m a big Mats Sundin fan and I respect the guy more than anyone. That said, he HAS to waive his no-trade clause for the sake of this franchise. Any decision to the contrary would be selfish. Waive it, go make a run at the cup and we’ll see you again in September.
I seriously heard the Leafs might actually re-sign Mats to a multi-yr deal haha!! that would be another laugher of a move by the worst organization in sports ( next to the Knicks of course)
GO PENS!
Man, I actually wouldnt be suprised if they did something like that. Has Fletcher or MLSE even said they actually want to undertake a massive rebuilding project? or is this just an assumption based on the obvious need, and the firing of JFJ?
Jason Blake needs to go, but who wants a guy with cancer? All the defensmen need to go, but besides Kaberlee (spl?) who wants them? Besides Pogee, do the Leafs even have any prospects? Acutally fully rebuilding is gonna take forever, and I personally dont see the Leafs committing to that.
With the asking price for Sundin, any team would be stupid to give up their 1st round pick, 2nd or 3rd line roster player, and a top prospect for a 36 (soon to be 37) year old unrestricted free agent, who won’t resign with them in the summer. Sundin has also stated that he doesn’t want to go to a team in the States, due to the taxation of a Swedish player would have to pay for playing in the USA. IF, and that is a big if, Sundin goes anywhere, look for the Vancouver Canucks or the Calgary Flames to acquire the star. Would be surprised to see Fletcher trade him to the Canadiens or Senators, with the two being the Leafs biggest rivals.
I too am a big Mats Sundin fan, both as a player and captain. That said, it’s difficult for me to understand why Mats would not want to take a run at the cup with another team and then come back in September – unless he does not plan on coming back to the NHL next year. But he IS very loyal and a team player so perhaps that is enough of a reason. The Leafs could use some new young talent and this is one way they could improve their club (unless they screw it up), so it does seem puzzling if Sundin refuses to go somewhere else temporarily. Whatever he does though it okay with me because he did not screw up the Leafs. He has done nothing but produce for them.