Sundin in no hurry to decide
Posted: Thursday July 03, 2008 07:49AM ET
The money is in Vancouver, the prestige in Montreal and Manhattan, but is Mats Sundin's heart still in Toronto? The whole National Hockey League is scratching its head about that logic after Sundin went back into his contractual cocoon yesterday, stunning among others, the Vancouver Canucks, who wanted to make him the league's richest player. There could be more Toronto complications for the Canucks -- the Leafs are one of seven teams interested in Vancouver center Brendan Morrison, who so far is getting just a one-year offer from the Canucks for less than $2 million. It was thought the Maple Leafs captain couldn't possibly turn down Vancouver's two-year, $20-million offer, not without the leverage of a Cup win or a Hart Trophy, but he politely told all suitors to give him some space. Toronto general manager Cliff Fletcher thought the door was closing here for Sundin at least three times the past few weeks; when he turned down a $7 million, one-year deal, when Fletcher granted the Canadiens exclusive rights to get a deal up to July 1 and when the Canucks made Tuesday's eye-popping offer. But Fletcher and Barry both have been careful not to rule out 100% that Sundin won't return.
Mats Sundin, Dave Sandford/Getty Images
Comments (25)
The NHL is insane right now. You have average hockey players making 3-4 million dollars, and top salaries are now being earned by guys who are not close to marquee players. (Ron Hainsey? Jeff Finger? etc...)
Sundin at 10 million is a travesty. The guy is a point per game player, and has never come up big in the clutch. Making more money than Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, Lidstrom etc.., is an insult.
GMs and owners are ruining this league. They complain about costs of operation then run to the trough and drive up salaries like manic kids running through WalMart for the latest toy craze. And the fans are the ones who always pay the price with skyrocketing ticket prices and displaced franchises. It is sickening.
How sick is it? We now applaud players like Marian Hoosa who "take less" at over 7 million a year to play somewhere! This craziness has to stop. The future of the game is in serious jeopardy because unlike the NFL, MLB or NBA, massive television and advertising revenue is not created in the NHL, and the whole system will go belly-up. What happens next year if/when the Canadian dollar comes crashing back to earth and the Canadian teams can't cover bulging costs? Are we going to have more Winnipegs or Quebecs on our hands?
joec | 07/03/08, 08:45 AM
Report Offensive CommentAre we going to have more Winnipegs or Quebecs on our hands?
joec
Montgomery, Alabama weclomes you. Gas is cheap down there too.
seabird56 | 07/03/08, 08:54 AM
Report Offensive Commentjoe c,
This is why most of my posts end the way they do, referring to the midget commisioner. The league is in huge trouble. It seems to me that Bettman is trying to make the NHL like The NFL, which shows his lack of vision. This is symptomatic of his "leadership"
BETTMAN S***S
Spiny Norman | 07/03/08, 09:24 AM
Report Offensive CommentThe NHL is fine guys. And even if it wasn't, contracting a few teams in the Southeast and that pointless franchise in Arizona wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. Vancouver is frickin' insanse though. $10 million per year for a 37 year old when they are nowhere near that 'final piece' to make a run for the Cup? I used to buy Center Ice just to watch them, Calgary and Edmonton. Now I just feel sorry for the Canucks fans.
Capsfan | 07/03/08, 09:49 AM
Report Offensive CommentSalaries should not be linear. Nobody pays to watch the pylons and marginals.
They pay to watch certain players. Those players should get the big bucks.
The marginals should get a fair wage but not millions.
Just because one guy gets 40-50 goals and earns $7-$8 million a year is no reason to give a 20 goal scorer $3.5-$4 million.
What was it that Christ on the cross said? "Forgive them for they know not what they do......" This pretty much applies to the sad state of affairs in pro sports in general these days. The momeny men are out of control.
Hank Kingsley | 07/03/08, 10:03 AM
Report Offensive CommentJust retire Sundin, we don't want another Selanne/Niedermayer story all summer long!
cmh_phx | 07/03/08, 10:25 AM
Report Offensive CommentSundin can take all the time in the world, just as long as we don't have to hear that nothing has been decided everyday...
MaplePenguin | 07/03/08, 10:42 AM
Report Offensive CommentMaplePenguin ... couldn't agree more. Two non-news stories today - what, is there really no other news out there .....?
Oilers - NHI | 07/03/08, 10:51 AM
Report Offensive CommentI have sinking feeling that there will be more stories like this in the days and weeks to come, Oilers4Ever. Unless Malkin goes on a screaming rant about Hossa going to Detriot or Avery steals Brett Hull's hair gel not much else will be happening now that the annual gm's spend money like idiots day is gone.
MaplePenguin | 07/03/08, 10:57 AM
Report Offensive CommentHahahah MaplePenguin. I fear you are correct :(I have sinking feeling that there will be more stories like this in the days and weeks to come, Oilers4Ever. Unless Malkin goes on a screaming rant about Hossa going to Detriot or Avery steals Brett Hull's hair gel not much else will be happening now that the annual gm's spend money like idiots day is gone.
MaplePenguin
LOL
Roll on October ......!!
Oilers - NHI | 07/03/08, 11:08 AM
Report Offensive CommentThe first comment is spot on. The NHL can't afford to keep making deals like this unless they get a new TV deal, but on the other hand, if they don't pay these guys, they're liable to go to the new Russian League and the NHL will die out without marquee players. It will be like the MLS, where great players go to die.
marc andre fleury is a badass | 07/03/08, 11:20 AM
Report Offensive CommentThe NHL is fine guys. And even if it wasn't, contracting a few teams in the Southeast and that pointless franchise in Arizona wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. Vancouver is frickin' insanse though. $10 million per year for a 37 year old when they are nowhere near that 'final piece' to make a run for the Cup? I used to buy Center Ice just to watch them, Calgary and Edmonton. Now I just feel sorry for the Canucks fans.
Capsfan
Although I disagree about the league being "fine" I have advocated pushing out the teams in "non traditional" hockey areas. I have been also ROASTED for it in these spaces by people from those areas, but I stand by my claims, to wit;
by getting rid of those franchises and distributing via draft lottery or whatever the players from those teams, you get fewer teams but higher quality and therfore, better games, as all teams should be somewhat competitive. Then we get the officiating consistent. There are humans involvd, so it'll never be perfect.
Again, this (hockey) is not something that you can just plop down in the middle of a town and expect the masses to come flocking, no matter what the idiot commisioner thinks. If he has any business sense, or indeed any sense at all, this should be easy to figure out. And again, my apologies to Tampa, Sunrise, Phoenix, California, Carolina, Atlanta, and Nashville. I mean no disrespect to your cities.
Spiny Norman | 07/03/08, 11:35 AM
Report Offensive CommentThe NHL is fine guys. And even if it wasn't, contracting a few teams in the Southeast and that pointless franchise in Arizona wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. Vancouver is frickin' insanse though. $10 million per year for a 37 year old when they are nowhere near that 'final piece' to make a run for the Cup? I used to buy Center Ice just to watch them, Calgary and Edmonton. Now I just feel sorry for the Canucks fans.
Capsfan | 07/03/08, 09:49 AM
The NHL is not fine. There are six American teams that are on 'life support' thanks to high grossing teams like the Habs, Leafs, Pens... etc. This league is run bass ackwards. The NHL needs to reduce the number of teams so that the level of talent isn't as diluted as it is now.
The joec was spot on. It's offensive that here in Montreal, our ticket prices just went up 4% again where we're pay the highest (if not close to) in the NHL.
Shadow Angel | 07/03/08, 11:47 AM
Report Offensive CommentThe joec was spot on. It's offensive that here in Montreal, our ticket prices just went up 4% again where we're pay the highest (if not close to) in the NHL.
Shadow Angel
What's the old joke?
Doctor, Doctor it hurts when I do this?
Then don't do that.
Stay home. Watch on TV. Don't support the madness. If it floats your boat watch junior hockey live.
Hank Kingsley | 07/03/08, 12:36 PM
Report Offensive CommentStay home. Watch on TV. Don't support the madness. If it floats your boat watch junior hockey live.
Hank Kingsley
Great idea, but alas, there's always another tuchas for the seat you give up. You give up your season ticket in protest? No worries, they'll find some other body to fill the seat...or they'll move the team again...
BETTMAN IS THE ESSENCE OF S***ING
Spiny Norman | 07/03/08, 12:40 PM
Report Offensive CommentGreat idea, but alas, there's always another tuchas for the seat you give up. You give up your season ticket in protest? No worries, they'll find some other body to fill the seat...or they'll move the team again...
BETTMAN IS THE ESSENCE OF S***ING
Spiny Norman
There is always another Chet it's true but it doesn't have to be you. So as far as one's own personal status it applies.
Hank Kingsley | 07/03/08, 01:46 PM
Report Offensive CommentSundin in no hurry to decide.....seems like how he has played his entire career.....no hurry to get to the playoffs/cup finals.
3mcsand1dj | 07/03/08, 02:01 PM
Report Offensive Comment10 million for Sundin???
Disgusting this is!
YODA | 07/03/08, 08:41 PM
Report Offensive Comment2 good players (at $5 million apiece) could Vancouver afford!
YODA | 07/03/08, 08:41 PM
Report Offensive CommentFills the seats in Vancouver, Sundin will not!
YODA | 07/03/08, 08:41 PM
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