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Sure, Mats Sundin deserves to call his own shots, but does he need to screw over the rest of the league while doing it?I have no problem with Mats Sundin saying he needs more time to make a decision about whether or not he wants to play hockey again next season.I do have a problem that he waited until after pretty much all the offers were on the table before he announced that decision.Given the number of hints he gave out between the end of the regular season and the day before the start of the silly season, Sundin's proclamation wasn't totally unexpected, but do you really he didn't come to this conclusion until late in Day Two of the bidding for his services?I don't think so.Lots of people say this is Mats being Mats; that he always takes one day less than forever to come to a decision, but I don't buy it.By waiting to see where the money was and what the money was, Sundin did to the league what he did to the Leafs when he opted not to waive his no-movement clause at the trade deadline.Now don't misunderstand. Sundin was within his rights to not waive his no-trade and he's certainly within his rights to decide when, where and even if he wants to play again. He earned that both contractually and simply by being one of the better players in the game for the many years he's played the game.That said, however, shouldn't there be at least one time - for appearances sake if nothing else - when Sundin gives a little something back?Something akin to: "Hey folks, I'm flattered by all the wheeling and dealing and all the interest and especially in the almost mind-numbing financial offers, but to be perfectly fair, I really haven't decided if I want to play again next season or ever and until I make up my mind in that regard, you should consider your free-agent planning without me in the mix."Seems reasonable doesn't it?I mean here's a chance for a guy to say: "Do what you think is best for you and your team, just leave me out of the mix for now because I honestly don't know where I'm going from here. Not yet anyway."But no, GM's didn't get that.Instead they got this: "I would like to thank all the teams who have expressed such sincere interest in my services," Sundin said in a release through J.P. Barry his agent out of Creative Artist Agency."The numerous options provided to me were impressive and I have no doubt that each one presented a unique opportunity for me to finish my career in a terrific hockey environment. I spent a great deal of time (Tuesday) reflecting upon the (estimated nine) teams who stepped forward and the opportunities that each provided."Unfortunately, I am simply not close to being ready to make a decision about resuming my career at this time. I wish all the teams the very best and thank them for their interest."Nice wording, but just a bit disingenuous don't you think?In waiting, Sundin threw a wrench into the marketplace for a great many teams and not just the ones waiting on him to decide. The free-agent game is often a trickle-down affair where teams make plans on landing a player with what they believe is a legitimate (and often overwhelming) offer. If it works, fine, but if not, other plans have to be made, other options have to be explored and, in a scenario rarely considered by the players being courted, other players' lives are affected in kind.Normally they have a Plan B and a C and a D, but they are all tough to execute when you still think you are in the running with Plan Mats.Had Sundin opted out before the start of free agency, don't you think that it's at least possible that the Vancouver Canucks might have targeted another centre or a player who could play centre; a Marion Hossa might not have been a perfect fit, but a Brian Rolston might have gotten a good deal, maybe even a better one (and one he wanted to accept) that he settled for in New Jersey.Doesn't the same ring true for the Edmonton Oilers or the New York Rangers?Heck, officially, you can't even take the Leafs out of that equation. Sure, Sundin left them the short straw when he refused to be traded for a package that would have given the Leafs true value for a player who if he isn't ever going to play again, would have paid a very small price to move and maybe even play for the championship that has forever eluded him.He did it again, admittedly on a lesser scale, when he opted not to answer the Montreal Canadiens' call just prior to the opening of free agency. The Leafs wouldn't have gotten all that much for his rights, but even a third-round draft pick is better than nothing.Now the Leafs are still holding out a slim hope that Sundin might just opt to re-sign with them as if somehow that would wash given the decisions he's made so far.Come back to the Leafs: For what? Is there another scenario other than fans booing him simply because he could have come back AND rewarded the Leafs with a fistful of draft picks and prospects but instead opted to return empty-handed? I don't think so.And what are the other teams supposed to do? Should they continue to pray that Mats has a change of heart after he's done strolling the streets and cafes of his homeland he might perhaps get the urge to play again?Should the Rangers assume he's not coming and try to make peace and prosperity with Jagr or has that ship sailed?What about the Canucks and the Oilers and all the others. If they had known in advance they perhaps could have done something else in Day One or Day Two, but there's not a whole lot left out there now.Should they target some restricted player, who will surely want a five-, six- or seven-year deal or should they just hold their breath?Those decisions would have been a whole lot easier if Mats sent his very polite note on June 30 instead of July 2.Of course, maybe there's nothing those other teams can do now and with Sundin knowing exactly who has what amount of money to spend it does seem to play to his advantage.One can't help but wonder if that wasn't the plan all along.Jim Kelley writes regularly on the NHL for Sportsnet.ca and can be heard on Primetime Sports on the FAN590.

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LOL I was gonna write "nice rant Dale" and then mention how you should post that in a paper...then I realized it was a clip.ya, it's pissing me off.

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This is good for Montreals chances actually. If we don't give him the money I think we just won't spend it this season and save it for next season with all the FA we are going to have to sign. Others teams have already signed contracts that take them out of the race for Sundin. So take your time Matts. nobody is pressuring you in Montreal, Bob is giving him the time and space that he wants and is dealing with this situation very professioanlly. By the tiem he realizes he is actualy comming back to the NHL, Montreal will be the best option for him at that point.

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Sundin doesn't owe anyone anything.He can take all the time he damn well pleases to choose what to do with his life.Jim Kelly and his ilk should shut the hell up.
I think that may have been mentioned.
Sure, Mats Sundin deserves to call his own shots, but does he need to screw over the rest of the league while doing it?I have no problem with Mats Sundin saying he needs more time to make a decision about whether or not he wants to play hockey again next season.I do have a problem that he waited until after pretty much all the offers were on the table before he announced that decision.
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I think that may have been mentioned.
Its fantastic that he mentions right off the bat that Mats has the right to make his own decisions, but then he writes an entire article saying hes screwing over the whole league by doing so. Thats like starting a statement with "no offense" then saying something offensive.The article is ridiculous. Whether he takes a day, a week, a month, or a year to decide what he wants to do, its his right to do so. If he were under contract with a team and deciding whether to play again(Niedermayer) I'd agree. But he's a free agent, he owes a quick decision to nobody.
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Its fantastic that he mentions right off the bat that Mats has the right to make his own decisions, but then he writes an entire article saying hes screwing over the whole league by doing so. Thats like starting a statement with "no offense" then saying something offensive.The article is ridiculous. Whether he takes a day, a week, a month, or a year to decide what he wants to do, its his right to do so. If he were under contract with a team and deciding whether to play again(Niedermayer) I'd agree. But he's a free agent, he owes a quick decision to nobody.
agreed.As long as he makes his choice before training camp I have no issue with it.
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Its fantastic that he mentions right off the bat that Mats has the right to make his own decisions, but then he writes an entire article saying hes screwing over the whole league by doing so. Thats like starting a statement with "no offense" then saying something offensive.The article is ridiculous. Whether he takes a day, a week, a month, or a year to decide what he wants to do, its his right to do so. If he were under contract with a team and deciding whether to play again(Niedermayer) I'd agree. But he's a free agent, he owes a quick decision to nobody.
Yeah, I find it ridiculous too when writers give their opinion in opinion pieces. It's whack!
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Yeah, I find it ridiculous too when writers give their opinion in opinion pieces. It's whack!
In this case, it sure is.I realize, as a fan of a team, it would be much more convenient for us if he decided quickly what hes going to do and would be better for those teams interested so they can either sign him, or move on to a plan B. But Mats doesn't owe any of these teams, and certainly not Jim Kelly, a damn thing. In this case its not about the teams interested in him, its about him. Whether he wants to play or not. Whether he wants to live in a city or not. Hes not demanding a team wait for him to decide. If they cant wait, they can move right along to plan B if they wish. A rushed decision is often a bad decision. So if hes not ready to decide yet, why should he have to? Because fans, or hockey writrs want him to? Thats absurd.Just because a writer has a forum to give his opinion, doesnt mean he cant be criticized for what I feel is a foolish one. If a writer says the Canadiens should trade Carey Price for Andrew Raycroft because Raycroft has more experience can you criticize it? Or just say, well he gave his opinion in an opinion piece, I shall not comment on it.Id hope the former.
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In this case, it sure is.I realize, as a fan of a team, it would be much more convenient for us if he decided quickly what hes going to do and would be better for those teams interested so they can either sign him, or move on to a plan B. But Mats doesn't owe any of these teams, and certainly not Jim Kelly, a damn thing. In this case its not about the teams interested in him, its about him. Whether he wants to play or not. Whether he wants to live in a city or not. Hes not demanding a team wait for him to decide. If they cant wait, they can move right along to plan B if they wish. A rushed decision is often a bad decision. So if hes not ready to decide yet, why should he have to? Because fans, or hockey writrs want him to? Thats absurd.Just because a writer has a forum to give his opinion, doesnt mean he cant be criticized for what I feel is a foolish one. If a writer says the Canadiens should trade Carey Price for Andrew Raycroft because Raycroft has more experience can you criticize it? Or just say, well he gave his opinion in an opinion piece, I shall not comment on it.Id hope the former.
I don't think Jim Kelly is saying that Sundin has to rush his decision. I read that Kelly thinks Sundin should have just made it clear from the beginning that his intentions were to wait it out and sit on all the offers received.
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I don't think Jim Kelly is saying that Sundin has to rush his decision. I read that Kelly thinks Sundin should have just made it clear from the beginning that his intentions were to wait it out and sit on all the offers received.
QFT
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I don't think Jim Kelly is saying that Sundin has to rush his decision. I read that Kelly thinks Sundin should have just made it clear from the beginning that his intentions were to wait it out and sit on all the offers received.
but how do we or Kelly know thats what his intentions were? Maybe Mats thought he'd get the offers and make up his mind shortly thereafter? Maybe he's just trying to figure it out himself.Hard for Kelly, or us, to put ourselves in Sundin's head.
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but how do we or Kelly know thats what his intentions were? Maybe Mats thought he'd get the offers and make up his mind shortly thereafter? Maybe he's just trying to figure it out himself.Hard for Kelly, or us, to put ourselves in Sundin's head.
well said
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but how do we or Kelly know thats what his intentions were? Maybe Mats thought he'd get the offers and make up his mind shortly thereafter? Maybe he's just trying to figure it out himself.Hard for Kelly, or us, to put ourselves in Sundin's head.
To me, the point more specific to this is that, after all his years with the Leafs, and his constant public countenance of how great the franchise has treated him, he at least owed the LEAFS an explanation as to what his intentions, if any, were..... which, to this date, he has not...
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To me, the point more specific to this is that, after all his years with the Leafs, and his constant public countenance of how great the franchise has treated him, he at least owed the LEAFS an explanation as to what his intentions, if any, were..... which, to this date, he has not...
I agree with this to a certain degree....The thing that needs to be understood is that 90% of the reports in the media are false..The media had him dissing the Leafs and signing with Detroit, New York and Montreal...Which I believe was nowhere close to the truth. The fact is he said all along last year that he doesnt know if he wants to play again next year. I think he owes nothing to Bob Gainey and the other teams, however you are correct that he could of told the LEafs of his intentions earlier so they could of made alternate plans..As it stands now, the Leafs are ok signing him, and are ok moving on...They still have roughly $7 mill in cap space, which could go up higher if McCabe and/or Kubina are traded.
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Sundin has been keeping busy in Sweden: matssundininnutcracker.jpg
is that really Mats..Or did u photoshop?
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I agree with this to a certain degree....The thing that needs to be understood is that 90% of the reports in the media are false..
which just happens to be 5% better than serge :club:
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  • 2 weeks later...

This whole soap opera is getting annoying. Reports out of Russia and Sweden saying he signs in Vancouver, followed by his agent saying NO, and then Mats himself saying he hasnt decided. Its getting old.Mats just decide already..One thing he promised is that the decision will come way before training camp and we went have a Niedermayer/Selanne situation.I am ok with him signing in Vancouver, I still would love for him to finish his career in Toronto, however Vancouver i can live with.Kyle and Mats can be reunited again.I have adjusted betting lines.Toronto 48%Vancouver 40%Retire 1%Named as the new host of the Hardcore Poker show to bump Tessaro out 1%

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Toronto 48%Vancouver 40%Retire 1%Named as the new host of the Hardcore Poker show to bump Tessaro out 1%
I thought limit poker experts were good at math?????????
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