Sundin Says No!
Today Mats Sundin announced that he will not waive his no-trade clause and will remain with the Maple Leafs. Sundin said, as quoted from TSN, “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 have spoken to and listened to my family and those closest to me about this issue. In the end, there is no right decision in a situation like this one.”
“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.”
LeafsAreTrash.com would like to say we fully support Sundin and any fans who think any less of Mats for wanting to finish his career out in the blue and white need to check their heads. Sundin is the model of what a good Captain and teammate should be and he should not have to face any flak from fans or media for making this decision.
Stumble it!
February 25th, 2008 at 9:48 am
I guess I need to check my head then.
I respect Mats Sundin, and I agree that he had every right to exercise the clause he negotiated in good faith. It was his call, and I don’t doubt he agonized over it.
But I’m a Maple Leaf fan, above and beyond being a Mats Sundin fan. And when the deadline passes, the team will be further away from winning a Stanley Cup someday than they would have if Mats had agreed to go. That stings.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Sundin is a chump, wussing out on an opportunity to flip the bird at a franchise that has feels he doesn’t deserve to be Captain anymore after 14 years of hard work and BS. I’ll check my head thanks.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
How is NOT leaving missing an opportunity to flip the bird to the team. If he had’ve left he’d be doing exactly what the team wanted. He DID flip them the bird and good for him. He did what was best for him based on his own values.
Some chump…
February 26th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I wanted him traded to start our rebuild, but I have no problem with Sundin remaining a Leaf. What I do take issue with is him remaining the captain. A captain should always do what’s best for his team - not himself. He should voluntarily relinquish the C.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Relinquish the C to who exactly???
He will probably be back again next year anyways.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
To Stajan obviously…the heart, soul, and future of the Maple Leafs
March 31st, 2008 at 11:18 am
Mats deserves to stay and the franchise should be ashamed of themselves for the way they treated him. He has every right to waive his no trade clause. The leafs are poor but without him it would be just embarassing.