A Sundin symposium; the chatter about Captain Indecisive

Everyone, give yourselves a round of applause for helping turn Mats Sundin's career into one brain-bashingly repetitive free-agency rumour.

Leafs fans had plenty of time to get ready for this and it was just a business decision. Anyway, some people do have strong opinions about it, and here's a just a few.

"This whole process has revealed Sundin to be the exact entity he insisted he wasn't 10 months ago — a hired gun. Nothing more. Nothing less.

"His decision to come back makes a mockery of his stand last season, when he refused to waive his no-trade clause so the Toronto Maple Leafs could move him to a Stanley Cup contender. Sundin insisted his heart was in Toronto and that joining a team just for a playoff run would somehow cheapen the moment.

"Funny how all that went out the window as he makes plans to descend on Vancouver in late December, having played his last serious hockey on March 29 and having decided (we assume) the Canucks' dough looked more appealing than whatever the New York Rangers could come up with."
— Scott Burnside

"It's going to be pretty interesting to see when Roberto Luongo comes back from what is reportedly a pretty serious groin issue. Sundin may provide more offence, but they need their No. 1 goaltender to have a chance in the Western Conference."
— James Mirtle

"Hold on...did we just sign Toronto's sloppy seconds?"
— Orland Kurtenblog

"And it's not hard to see a lot of ways this could end badly. You could get hurt (you're 38, and who knows what kind of shape you're in). You may not have the competitive fire anymore (after all, it took you this long to decide you still wanted to play). The Canucks could fall short when it mattered (since they're, you know, the Canucks).

"You could be headed towards your Jerry-Rice-as-a-Seahawks stage, your Michael-Jordan-as-a-Wizard days.

"And if that happens, everyone will line up to bury you. And that's not what I want, because right or wrong you're a Leaf for life."
— Down Goes Brown


"We're not totally sold on this being a good move for Vancouver or any team really. Obviously on paper, Sundin helps any team. He's a world class player. But he hasn't played a game since April. How long will it take for him to get into game shape and how long will it take for him to mesh into a squad which has been together since September?
— Empty Netters

"Mats is buggered no matter what he says now:

• All about the journey - he signs half-way through the season
• Not about the money — took more to play in Vancouver
• About winning the cup — signed with the 'Nucks who have a long-term injury to (Roberto) Luongo."

— Pension Plan Puppets

"I didn't want the old guy but now he's here for a million more than Luongo and for basically half the season. Cute. Pressure’s on. You’re MY old guy now so I get to bitch to no end.

"This isn’t some sort of odd vacation Mats. We have a team that’s doing better then expected, a GM willing to take a risk and a nation of fans who were just reminded last night of how close we once were and how badly we want to be back there.

"So help me God if you let us down…"
— Yankee Canuck

"I know it's not rational, but if it were about that I wouldn't be a Leafs fan at all. All I know is, a few days or weeks from now I'll be walking around and I'll see someone in a Canucks jersey. As they pass by, I'll notice it reads SUNDIN 13. And that'll just feel wrong as all hell.

"So thanks for the memories, Mats. It'll be great seeing you honoured at the ACC in a few years. In the meantime I hope your new team tanks, Luongo's groin explodes, and you miss the playoffs."
-- Cox Bloc

"For now Mats, you are dead to me."
— PPP