An excerpt from TSN:
Mats Sundin‘s agent is denying a report in the New York Post that says his client wants to join the Rangers.
The newspaper article says well-connected sources have stated that Sundin has expressed his interest in playing for the Blueshirts. The Post report went on to say that Sundin’s agent, J.P. Barry has been in constant communication with front-office personnel from the Rangers.
When contacted by TSN, Barry denied there have been any increased discussions with the Rangers. He told TSN that he has spoken to both the Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers but also has had long discussions with Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher and Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis. Barry said there are six teams interested in Sundin’s services for next season.
Habster:
I don’t know about you, but I’m frankly fed up with the Sundin rumors and his indecisiveness about his hockey future. I understand that Sundin has earned the right to decide his future within his own time frame, I’m not questioning that right.
I do have a huge problem with Sundin and his agent stringing teams along and giving them false hope to simply drive up the market place. It’s an old tactic used by agents throughout the NHL and frankly, it isn’t a very classy thing to do when teams want to finish shaping their NHL rosters before training camps begin.
I’m not going to pretend I have any insider information like Eklund does (without much success, I might add!!) but Habs fans shouldn’t hold their breath hoping Sundin will be wearing a Canadiens uniform. There has been very little mention of the Canadiens withinn the media or Sundin’s circle.
Barry’s comments speak volumes about Sundin’s lack of interest to play for the Canadiens:
He (Barry) told TSN that he has spoken to both the Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers but also has had long discussions with Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher and Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis.
Absolutely no mention of Montreal in the TSN article which isn’t the first time Barry has omitted the Canadiens in his comments about the big Swede.
Sundin will be back in the NHL this season but it just won’t be in the famous Bleu, Blanc et Rouge of the Montreal Canadiens. It’s an unfortunate situation which Barry/Sundin should end sooner rather than later by telling Bob Gainey that their interest in the Canadiens isn’t very genuine.