Talk about running a guy out of town. It's like all of Toronto (with our so helpful media leading the charge) wants to put one of the greatest players to wear a Leaf uniform on a one way bus ride to....anywhere.
I'm just not so sure the Leafs will get that much for Mats so at the end of the day fans may be disappointed. Last year's big deadline deals (Keith Tkachuk, Ryan Smyth and Peter Forsberg) involved substantial transfer of young talent. However, the teams picking up the expensive rental players didn't advance beyond the first round of the playoffs and none of the 3 players resigned during the summer. Considering Mats doesn't really want to move and he may retire or return to the Leafs during the summer, he just isn't going bring in a substantial package. General Managers around the league are learning that these trades don't usually work. It's the deadline deals for depth that can make the difference.
Let's just say Ottawa picks up Sundin. He is not very familiar with the Ottawa's system or players but he only has about 20 games in integrate himself. He is unlikely to displace any of Spezza, Alfredsson or Heatley off the number one line. That means substantially less playing time for Sundin and a drop off in production.
I keep saying that the Leafs are much better off trading away player whose contracts are a burden to the team. That would be either Jason Blake, Bryan McCabe or Pavel Kubina. No one in their right mind would take Kubina at $5 million or Blake at $4 million. But there would have to be takers for McCabe if he would agree.
12 years ago
