Here’s the latest on the Mats Sundin saga with some interesting quotes from J.P. Barry in a Toronto Star article by Paul Hunter:
Almost four months after the season ended, we should find out this week whether Mats Sundin will continue his NHL career.
Where he plays – if the 37-year-old indeed decides to return – might take a little longer; wouldn’t want to rush things after all.
“Hopefully, we’ll know whether he’s going to play or not. It might take a little longer to figure out the team situation,” Sundin’s agent, J.P. Barry, said.
“I’m just waiting for him to say for sure that he wants to play. That’s still step one.”
Barry and Sundin have arrived at what the agent called a “soft deadline” of Friday to make that first key decision. Barry said Sundin will need the time after that to physically prepare for training camp if he does not retire.
“I just think he’s looking for that internal feeling he needs to have to play at the level he wants to play. He doesn’t just want to be a player, he wants to be a dominant player,” Barry said.
Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher has been in email contact with his former and possibly future captain but said that hasn’t given him any insider knowledge on Sundin’s intentions.
“He’s not tipping his hand,” Fletcher said. “He is who he is. He’s determined he’s going to do things his way. You’ve got to respect that for the career he’s had in Toronto over the last 13 seasons.”
While Sundin’s dithering is unusual, he’s not the only big name to take a similar approach. Joe Sakic, late of Colorado, and Teemu Selanne, most recently with Anaheim, are two other unrestricted free agents who have yet to declare their intentions for this season. Last year, Scott Niedermayer didn’t announce his decision to return to the Ducks until December. Selanne then returned in January.
“This is an experience I’ve never gone through before,” said Fletcher, noting that it hasn’t changed his approach to team-building.
“When it hit July 1, we started working on the basis that Mats wouldn’t be here; that’s when we went out and signed (Niklas) Hagman as a free agent and made the trade with Montreal for (Mikhail) Grabovski.
“Now if Mats comes back, obviously that would be a bonus and we’d be happy to have him back. If he chooses to do otherwise, we’re prepared to move forward.”
