Salming

Hey everybody! It's been a really long time since my last post, so apologies to my friends and to anybody out there I might've let down. This is all a little strange and new to me again and so since I'm feeling kind of rusty, I thought I'd break the ice with a bit of nostalgia for one of the greatest Maple Leafs ever.

Borje

For an even better read on Borje Salming, go here.

Salming was one of the best in the game at both ends of the ice, but was also a distinctly honourable gentleman throughout his career. In an era that saw bitter ends to the Maple Leaf careers of Vaive, Sittler, and Keon, Salming was the embodiment of loyalty, representing the Blue and White extremely well, particularly through some very dark seasons. He was pure class, and remains one of my favourite players of all-time.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996. The first European player to play in 1,000 NHL games. Third most games played in a Maple Leafs uniform(1,099). Highest scoring Maple Leafs defenceman of all-time in Points(768), Goals(148), and Assists(620). Fourth overall in Points at any position, behind only Sundin(987), Sittler(916), and Keon(858). Most career Assists by a Maple Leaf at any position. The highest career plus/minus total of any Maple Leaf player, an incredible +155.

Also has the strange distinction of having been on the ice for the most goals total, for and against, of any NHL player in the 1983-84 campaign. On the ice for 182 goals either way in just 68 games, Salming was a minus-34 that year. He was then a minus-26 the following season as well, making the plus 155 career total that much more astounding. Wipe out those two disastrous Ballard-era seasons, and Borje's plus/minus is a staggering 215 over 14 seasons.

Salming is a three-time winner of the obscure and highly secretive Viking Award, given to the best Swedish player in North America, as voted by the players. Mats Sundin is the only player to win the award four times. Daniel Alfredsson has never won the award, or like most of us, ever even heard about it.

Borje played 16 seasons for Toronto before finishing his career in Detroit for one season in 1989-90, scoring a modest but respectable 19 points in 49 games. The lesson is: Loyalty only goes so far without winning, and what will be, will eventually be. Legendary careers should still be remembered and celebrated, however only a championship makes a Hall of Famer truly indisposable to a city. Having witnessed Sundin's career wind down melodramatically, his legacy somewhat diminished, in Vancouver, and with Kaberle still with us and entering the final year of his contract, it seemed appropriate to reflect on the career of Borje Salming, and realize even he finished his NHL career in a different uniform, in front of fans that likely didn't appreciate the significance.

"Every Swede respects Borje and pays him tribute for what he has done. For us - Swedish hockey players - he is the man who showed us the right way; he is a trailblazer."
-Mats SundinSo cheers to long journeys and old acquaintances!

The Blood Of My Chief, Vol. V: Time In Between

It was The Year Without Hope.

An entire season without a Captain. For one night, however, we welcomed back our former Chief, the Great Sundin, and although he dressed in our rivals' uniform, there was indeed a celebration worthy of this reunion. Despite some discontent from the riff-raff, his return received the most honourable of ovations, worthy of the noblest man.
At last, when the time came for Sundin to strike the fatal blow, delivering our points in the standings to our enemies in sacrificial martyrdom, he did so like a champion. The saga was over, once and for all, with Sundin leaving as the victor, the last goal ever scored while his skates were on the ACC ice - his.

Of the 5 Alternates that were named to share leadership at the beginning of the season, 3 have not survived. Antropov and Kubina have travelled very different paths to get to the same destination. The Rebel, Moore, went off in search of the horizon and was never heard from again. The two remaining Alternates were Mayers, a weathered journeyman who could fight proudly but was unable to carry the team, and Kaberle the Quiet, the longest serving tribesman; hugely popular, yet an uncomfortably valuable asset that promised new blood. Though he now seems destined to remain with the team, part of the mystique and magic that is Kaberle is his unassuming nature and passive precision. A terrific and subtle weapon, but not the next Captain.

Yet our tribes spirited effort to reclaim its proud identity did not go for long without a symbolic figurehead. A face that stood for a franchise, a player we longed to follow as a generation, began to emerge. No torch had been passed, and yet, a light was shining brightly, ever clearer, leading the way.Luke Schenn. The name is like a switch. It turns you on. Say it out loud and people will notice. It feels important, profound. You want more. You want it again.

As our second season without a Captain approaches, there is comfort and solace in the knowledge that a noble young warrior has come forward, with unanimous approval of the Nation, to assume the role of Saviour. Uniquely capable of crushing the will of his opponents, yet also of lifting the spirits of the cynical and inspiring the bitter to love again, there are only two words left to describe Luke Schenn:

Next Captain. The question is no longer who?, but when?

This post dedicated to the memory of Ted "Teeder" Kennedy, one of the Leafs' most important Captains, who passed away today at the age of 83. Captain from 1948 to 1955 and 1956-7, Kennedy won 5 Stanley Cups in 13 seasons, all with the Blue and White. There's some great photos here from Somny at Vintage Leafs, including one of Teeder about to fight Gordie Howe.

1925-2009

Maple Leafs In The Playoffs!

Well, not exactly.

I'm having a tough time this year getting behind any one team in the playoffs. I find this year's teams to be lacking a little in compelling characters and story lines, but maybe that'll change as we get into it a bit more. Always fascinating to me however is the possibility that a former Maple Leaf may win the Cup, so rather then follow one team or one series, instead I'm keeping an eye on these ex-Leafs in the post-season. Some I cheer for, some I don't, but all of them are interesting to one degree or another and it'll be exciting to see how close any of them get to having their hands on the Cup.

Obviously we're all cheering against the Habs. Mathieu Schneider is the only ex-Maple Leaf who creeps me out as much as Glenn Anderson. Maybe it's his rat-face, or his rat-like tendencies on the ice, or the fact that in his 3 seasons as a Leaf, they missed the playoffs twice and the one year they did make it, they lost in the first round to St. Louis and Schneider had twice as many penalty minutes(8) as points(4). I'll give him this - he's been in the league for a long, long time. Since 1989-90 he's played for 8 different teams and is back for his second go round with Montreal. He makes me want to puke. I hope they get demolished. In the opener against Boston, Schneider had zero points and was a minus 2.

I kinda liked Freddie Modin when he was here. He was good, but not great, like a Steen or a Stajan, and less annoying then a Stempniak. His numbers dramatically improved when he left Toronto and joined Tampa in 1999, eventually winning a Cup with the Lightning in 2004. Since going to Columbus in 2006, Modin has been in decline and missed quite a few games the last 2 years. It'll be interesting to see what he's got left in the tank and if he can use his experience to help Columbus upset the Wings. Not exactly known as a "playoff performer", Modin did have 19 playoff points in 23 games the year he won his Cup.
I like Mike Peca 'cause I like Mike Peca Hockey. I like the way he plays the game - fast, tenacious, feisty, and a killer instinct for the big goal. He's kinda somewhere in between Darcy Tucker and Dominic Moore, two former Leafs not in the playoffs. It's a shame that his only season as a Leaf was cut so short due to injury, and I never understood why he wasn't re-signed the next season. Now in his second year with the Blue Jackets, this will be Peca's 10th trip to the playoffs in 13 seasons.
Carlo Colaiacovo. What can you say about Mr. Give-Me-Some-Powerplay-Time-'Cause-My-Bones-Don't-Explode-As-Much-Anymore? I'm so happy to see Carlo having some real success, even if it's not with the Leafs. 19 assists on the powerplay in St. Louis for Carlo, yet remarkably Colaiacovo went the season without a powerplay goal. I'm betting he gets one in this series, and it's mostly because of this battered survivor that I'm temporarily putting aside my usual despise for St. Louis and hoping they knock out those lousy Canucks.
Alex Steen doesn't really possess Scott Stevens' or Mark Messier's Eye of the Tiger look. It's more like the Dopey Gaze of the Bank Teller. After a rough start in Toronto this year, Steen found his game in St. Louis. I'm afraid the Blues may be overmatched in the first round against Vancouver - after 2 games the Canucks have won both games, and St. Louis has scored just 1 goal on Luongo. Steen assisted on that goal, scored by another former Leaf prospect and 1st round pick, Brad Boyes.
Here's Kyle Wellwood eating his glove while dreaming about a huge cake the size of a swimming pool. So far in the playoffs he's barley made himself visible with a token shot on goal in each game and no points. Not a big surprise if he doesn't play a significant part in any Vancouver success, but it would be great to see him come through with a huge clutch goal when the Canucks need it most.
I tuned into tonight's Vancouver-St.Louis game specifically because it was suggested that Mats Sundin was so ineffective in Game 1 as to warrant being a possible healthy scratch. Well, in Game 2, it was Sundin with the opening goal, the eventual game-winner, as Luongo picked up the shutout. With a 2-0 series lead, I don't think Vancouver fans have anything to complain about, and I'm sure that Sundin is prepared for a long playoff run and has the experience to know how to contribute when it counts. Sundin now has 8 career game-winning goals in the playoffs, tied for 53rd all-time, and may climb up that list if Vancouver can win more then one round this spring.
Nik Antropov seems to be fitting in nicely with the Rangers and I'm happy for him. After scoring 7 goals for New York in the regular season since the trade deadline, Antro opened the playoffs by scoring a goal and adding an assist on the game-winner in Game 1 against the Capitals. As much as I like Ovechkin, which is less then I dislike Avery, I'm still cheering for Antropov and hope he hits the back of the net a few more times before the Rangers eventual exit from the first round.
Ugh. Paul Maurice has a way of turning playoff expectations into nightmares. Sometimes it works out for him, sometimes it doesn't. After surprising the Toronto media by ever finding work in the NHL again, Maurice had the Hurricanes rolling into the post-season as the hottest team in the NHL, going 13-3-2 down the stretch since March 1st. While Carolina lost the series-opener, they've now stolen home-ice advantage from New Jersey by winning Game 2 in overtime, on a goal by Tim Gleason. As the series heads south, Einstein's team could be poised to unleash disaster and disappointment on the Devils.

Lovingly referred to as the U.S.S. Hal Gill, this behemoth on the blue-line has not been forgotten here. If Pittsburgh is going to go deep in the playoffs again, I believe they're going to need this towering defenceman to eat up a lot of minutes for them and maybe a few opposing forwards as well. It would be interesting if Pittsburgh were to meet Boston in a later round so that we could see Gill and Chara match up head-to-head. Not that these two are likely to encounter each other directly in the game, but it would be awesome to see them go toe-to-toe at centre ice. I know that Chara would probably destroy Hal Gill, but he's the only player that I think even compares to Zdeno's size and strength. Really what I want to see is Chara in a steel-cage ladder match, but it doesn't have to be with Hal Gill, it could be with anybody.

Loose Ends

Do your friends think you need professional help?

This is just what the doctor ordered. The perfect prescription. The scores don't matter anymore, and the points on the table were only meaningful to Vancouver, yet tonight's game will probably be the most dramatic Leaf game of the season. The Captain is on an all-new journey, but this is still his Home. Tonight has nothing to do with the Canucks' playoff drive, nor even the current squad of marquee-less Maple Leafs. It is about Mats and Us. It is about Hope and Sorrow. And most of all, it is about Healing.

We all need somebody to love. For more then a decade, for millions of Leaf fans, that somebody was Sundin. Today we have Our Luke And Saviour, but we're just building that relationship and there's still butterflies on both sides. We know the best is yet to come. With Sundin, we had the best there was. And then he left us... or maybe we didn't want him enough... but then he took forever to decide if he wanted to come back... and we had to accept that our feelings for him were getting in the way of our good judgement, preventing us from moving on...

And so on and on and on it went. Until about December 19th, at which point Vancouver began to nosedive. We loved him, we hated him. We ridiculed and mocked him. And yet we swoon for his every word, thirst to see him strive and be challenged, and gawk at his humility and grace.

"Liar! Hypocrite! Sell-Out! Flip Flopper!", we hollered. To no avail. No one was listening. No reaction - no explanation. Sundin remained aloof as a butterfly, lost on the Pacific shores, fluttering thousands of miles away, as an on-line gambling spokesperson ought to be.

Finally, tonight was our night. Our chance to let him hear it, to let it all go, the love, the hate, the disappointment that comes from Hope, and the Healing needed to recover from Sorrow. For Sundin as well. It's important that we face each other, and get it out of our system, the good and the bad, even if it gets ugly, once and for all.

I should thank the Leaf faithful that were at the ACC tonight - they were outstanding. The atmosphere was as close to a playoff game as we're going to see this year, and the noise level increased with the tempo of the game until the very end. The standing ovation for Sundin was awesome. Very classy and I'm very glad it happened. It was my favorite part of the night. I also liked the booing, though. It gave the game an edge, which is fitting, since there's two sides to every situation. 

Hopefully the issue is now settled and everyone can move on. The game was extremely satisfying and memorable, an excellent way to close the doors on this incredible saga. Our divisions can now be forgotten, along with our heartbreak, and the house of Leaf Nation can stand united and proud, once ag~

Mats Sundin. Greatest. Leaf. Ever.

What the?!? How'd that happen!?

It needed to be said.

But, this is impossible! It's absurd! You can't just~

Deal with it.

Ok, allright. Consider it dealt with. But consider this as well: Sundin, the greatest Leaf for more then a generation, may have just played his last NHL game at the ACC and skated off the ice as the triumphant shoot-out hero for the opposing team. Classic. Way to go, Mats.

There goes a Legend.

Go Screw Yourself, Princess!

Eventually we'll stop talking about Mats. Very soon, I expect. For now, I just wanted to add my response to DGB's last post. This was, in fact, going to be just a comment to his post, but I didn't want the length of my response to overcrowd his work so I've posted it over here.

I think it's interesting that Dimanno of all people has scooped 2 exclusives with Sundin since the Festival Cup in September, which she also covered.

Each time her contention was that Sundin's pride was hurt and needed healing but was still keeping Toronto open as an option and that the Leafs weren't showing enough interest in bringing him back (or in generating a postive response to his return):

Yet his interest is clearly perked when informed about one well-connected hockey journalist who reported yesterday that coach Ron Wilson believes Sundin will return as a Leaf at some point this year.

"Wilson said that? But did he say he wants me to?''

Here's another quote from Sundin that explains why he didn't select the Leafs, from way back in May (not that you can believe anything he might say beyond a 3 month limit):

"First of all, for me to come back to Toronto, Toronto has got to show they really want me to come back, too," Sundin later added. "So we'll see what happens." 

Cliff might have made a pitch for Sundin, but he never got the green light. By the time Mats had sorted things out, the "new guy" was in town and Burke has no loyalty to Sundin. Door closed.

Finally, go screw yourself, princess is absolutely fair, because that's exactly what happened. Mats screwed with Mats. His indecision and melancholy has made him appear passive and weak. His inability to rescue the team from disaster last year is evidence of a lack of assertiveness and character. Almost nothing is left of the team that he once led, and for good reason. Now I have nothing against a Captain wanting to go down with his ship in a vain attempt at turning it around and getting it back on course, but when the ship sinks to the bottom of the ocean, I also have no problem with the owner of the boat company telling the Captain "go screw yourself if you think you're gonna get a raise".

Mats screwed Mats when he alone decided that the Leafs still had a chance to make the playoffs and then led the team to a colossal train wreck at season's end. Rather then assume responsibility, Sundin then became a silent recluse while those who served under his leadership, Maurice, Tucker, Wellwood, McCabe, one by one were made to walk the plank and thrown overboard. The Captain, who nobly went down with the ship, then told us he wasn't coming back unless we convinced him otherwise.

I think the appropriate response from Leaf management would've been to say, "Mats we really appreciate everything you've done for us, and truly respect your talents as a hockey player and your class as a person, but, seriously, this time, go screw yourself, princess".

The Brutal!

"My dream and the best scenario would be if I ended my career as a Toronto MapleLeaf."

"I would say from talking to Mats he has a soft spot for Toronto. We had lengthy conversations with him. Again, I don't think it was the right fit or right direction for us right now."

Mats Sundin, nothing left to live for, signs with Vancouver.

I don't believe this was his first choice. I believe this was his only choice. He deserved better. So did we. The real villains here are JFJ, Paul Maurice, and Raycroft, whose incompetence soured the atmosphere around the Maple Leafs so badly that virtually the entire team had to be torn apart and deconstructed.

Farewell, Mats. We won't forget. We will forgive. This wasn't your choice, or ours. I realize that now. It's just the way these things go sometimes. That's just the way it is. Doesn't mean it isn't brutal, but we'll get over it and pull through eventually. We always do. I'm not gonna wish you luck though. From now on, Mats, you're on your own. I hope Vancouver has an even more disasterous season this year then we did last year. It's nothing personal, Mats. I just hate the Canucks now. They're the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked.

Brutal.

Sundin Vs. Leafs, Feb. 21st or 22nd?

The National Post, the CBC, and the Globe and Mail are all reporting tonight that Mats Sundin has narrowed his list of teams down to just 2: the Vancouver Canucks and the NYRangers. Since neither Sundin nor J.P. Barry would comment directly, this was the only quote I could find to confirm or deny the story:

"I think if you want to be part of the team that has a chance to win the Stanley Cup or a team that is going far in the playoffs, my opinion has always been that you want to be there from training camp or the start of the season to be part of the group."

-Mats Sundin, doesn't believe in being a rental player, February 24/2008

Whoops... hold on. 

"I think if you want to be part of the team that has a chance to win the Stanley Cup or a team that is going far in the playoffs, then forget about hockey altogether and go ice-fishing until the end of August. Spend most of the Fall in Scandinavia. Don't talk to anybody! Announce an online poker endorsement deal! Go to California in December to "work out" while you're agent conducts an unprecedented bidding war, my new opinion is you want to be there no later then about mid-season to be part of the group."

-Mats Sundin, absolutely committed to being a rental player, December 15/2008

Fixed.

If it's true that Sundin is headed to either the Rangers or Vancouver, one thing is now certain: Leafs fans will get a chance to see the former Captain and express their feelings in person. Whichever way you feel, and whichever team he goes to, circle the third weekend of February, 2009 on your calendar. By sheer coincidence (maybe), the Leafs play Vancouver at home on Saturday, February the 21st, and then play the first of back-to-back games with the NYRangers on Sunday, the 22nd in New York. The back end of the home-and-home with the Rangers is in Toronto on the 25th.

There's lots more that could be said on this subject; - like how Mats is throwing away a legacy; how Cliff Fletcher made all the right moves rebuilding the team while trying to keep Sundin; that Burke and Wilson did the right thing by letting Sundin know that he was welcome but not particularly wanted; or that Vancouver and the Rangers are cheap, plastic imitations of true hockey cities like Detroit, Montreal, and, oh yes, Toronto. I could say all those things. I could also mention that it's going to be really sad when Mats Sundin doesn't win a Stanley Cup, and skates off the ice for perhaps the last time in the NHL, wearing the uniform of a team he's only been on for a few months, to the empty applause of fans with no appreciation for his distinguished career. I could say all that, but he's not a Maple Leaf now, so who really cares? Maybe by mid-February though, we'll feel a lot less apathetic. Could be a good week to have Leaf tickets.

A Sundin Update? Not Again!

I wasn't sure if I was going to post this, but I thought, if I don't - who will? Only everybody else! I know everyone's sick and tired of the Sundin drama, especially me, so I decided that I wouldn't bother posting this after all, but then I went and typed the whole thing anyways. And then I hit "PUBLISH POST", and it was too late. Fortunately, I knew all of that was going to happen and included it ahead of time in my introduction, which by now, you've already read.

On the weekend I happened to read an article in the Star by Rosie Dimanno about Mats Sundin. I don't normally care for Dimanno's work, - her last piece on Sundin, when she covered the Festival Cup, was horribly bland and uninspired, - but buried down at the bottom of this article was a really weird bit:

Yet his interest is clearly perked when informed about one well-connected hockey journalist who reported yesterday that coach Ron Wilson believes Sundin will return as a Leaf at some point this year.

"Wilson said that? But did he say he wants me to?''
Sundin, Oct. 24/08

Strange thing for Sundin to ask, I thought. Is that all he's waiting for? Maybe Dimanno didn't have the exact quote in her notes, or maybe she didn't have her notes in front of her, or maybe she doesn't believe in notes, but just so we're not gossiping or playing broken-telephone, here's what Wilson said on record the next day:

"Hey, I wouldn't mind if he came back, and reports say he might come back to Toronto, that he's waiting to see how we play."
Wilson, Oct. 26/08

Aha. He said, he wouldn't mind. That's not bad. That's about as much as you're going to get out of Ron Wilson, I think. The desire has to come from within, Mats. Wilson doesn't want Stajan to play better, he expects him to. If Blake doesn't want to play the way Wilson expects, then he doesn't play. Wilson never said publicly that he wanted Luke Schenn to be part of his top 4 defence this year - but he gave him the opportunity, and now Luke gets the rewards:

"He just came up to me and said: `We're going to keep you. You're not going to have to go back and ride the bus.' That's all he said."

Schenn, Oct. 28/08

Wilson's not going to ask anybody to do anything. Either get the job done or be out of a job. But if he believes in your abilities, he will give you the opportunities. If you accept those opportunities, then you also accept the responsibilty of Wilson's expectations.

"If Mats Sundin came back I would make him the captain."

Wilson, Oct. 26/08

That's a pretty strong endorsement, I would say. Without saying specifically that he wants Sundin to come back, he is suggesting that if Mats did decide to return, Wilson would expect him to lead. The fact that Wilson has left the captaincy vacant, or that Fletcher has built a roster perfectly suited for Sundin while leaving enough cap room to sign him, suggests the Leafs are very interested in having Sundin rejoin them. Without saying so publicly, they've done everything they can to create the perfect conditions for his return. Oh, wait a minute, they did say so publicly:

"It feels like my decision is going to come after there's going to be some other stuff going on with the Toronto Maple Leafs and I'll see what happens there. I'll have to make my decision after that."
Sundin, May 29/08

"After I sit down and tell him what we have in mind -- which isn't for public consumption now -- I think a clear picture will emerge for him," Fletcher said. "I think he'll be comfortable."
Fletcher, early June 08

What wasn't for public consumption then was how Cliff was going to do it. Cliff is a man of his word though, and while it took time to get all the pieces in place (and McCabe and others out of place), the Leafs are a different team this year, a better team, and yet there remains a huge hole in the line-up specifically suited to allow for Sundin's return. Matt Stajan has done well the last 3 games between Antropov and Ponikarovsky, including a goal last night, but, c'mon seriously, Matt Stajan is the number 1 centre on the Leafs?!?

Actions speak louder then words. It's taken a while to get there, but I think the Leafs have more then demonstrated their desire to have Sundin come back. No one wants to lose face on this and look the fool, but, baby-step by baby-step, the two sides are getting closer to resuming the relationship again.

Maybe there really isn't anymore to it then that. If we look back to the beginning of the summer, before Sundin was even a free-agent, the message from Sundin was already there:

"First of all, for me to come back to Toronto, Toronto has got to show they really want me to come back, too," Sundin later added. "So we'll see what happens."
Sundin, May 29/08

Maybe there is more. Maybe it's up to the fans. Us. You, me, and all the other apathetic weirdo's out there who've lost interest in Sundin and don't care if he returns. Some (not me) don't want to see Sundin return because it will decrease our chances of a quality draft pick. Others (also not me) are skeptical of having Sundin back because of the weight of his larger-then-life presence and the way it affects team chemistry. And finally, some people (me) are just bored with the whole thing. They need constant stimulation (totally me) or they lose interest.

So I think I've found the solution. We just need to have our buttons pressed. Generate a little excitment. Once that ball of hype gets going, there'll be no stopping it. One way Sundin could do that himself would be to start talking about hockey again. To show some enthusiasm for the sport we all love. Get that look of determination back in his eyes. Because, as Leaf fans, we know there's very few things more exciting then a determined Sundin.

Another way Sundin could totally win over all Leaf fans would be to return without an NTC. I know, not going to happen, but from a purely PR perspective, it'd be a brilliant move. Let it be a gentleman's agreement between Mats and Cliff. Let Fletcher take the heat at the trade deadline and at the end of the year for not moving Sundin. Cliff is a man on his word, I don't think he would screw Sundin by sending him to a team if he didn't want to go, contractual agreement or not. It doesn't really need to be there, so why should it be there? But imagine the joy in Leaf Nation when it's announced that Sundin has signed without a No-Trade clause. Fletcher would be a hero, and Sundin too. Until the end of the year when the Leafs miss the playoffs again by a single point, but then all the heat will fall on Cliff's shoulders for not trading Sundin when he could have. Fletcher won't care 'cause he'll be stepping down and handing the reigns over to someone else. Meanwhile, Sundin can ride off into the sunset and retire as a Maple Leaf, having thanked the fans for making his dream come true with one last season.

"My dream and the best scenario would be if I ended my career as a Toronto MapleLeaf."
Sundin, May 29/08

No one player, not even Sundin, is bigger then the Leafs' orginization. By demontrating that he understands that, and then leading by that kind of example, without a No-Trade clause - only a handshake from Cliff - Mats can have the send off he deserves, and so can we.

*** An Update to the Update ***

From the comments section, Drake asks a good question:

I've always been a Sundin fan, but having said that, the team seems to be developing some good chemistry without him... Sundins return would obviously demote Stajan, so do you think that might mess up the chemistry?

I responded with: Personally, I think no one wants Sundin to come back more then Stajan.

It seems someone from the Natioanl Post overheard our little conversation and gave us this follow up (Nov. 3/08):

Wilson was asked if Sundin's return - theoretically, at least - would place the team's new-found chemistry at risk.

"I don't see how it could hurt," the coach said. "But that's just speculation.

From the same article, further down, Stajan responds with this:

"I hope he comes back. I hope he comes back to us. He'd be a big boost to our team, for sure... You add one of the best players in the world and, no doubt, it's going to help the team."

The Blood Of My Chief, Vol. IV

Trumpets!

Fire! Smoke!

Drums! Bagpipes! Lasers! An Explosion!!!

The time has come, mere moments from this year's first pre-season game, to conclude our "tale of Magnificence and Misery - a blogger's history of Maple Leaf Captains". This will be the fourth and final instalment, for now, as we begin a new chapter, not yet written, while our 17th Chief remains undetermined. My personal thoughts on this volume's only entry range from mock indignation to childish adoration to direct ultimatum. Or simply put, The Good, The Bad, And The Brutal. What needed to be said has been said. There is nothing left but to move on. The tribe can wait no longer. Our season begins, and so we present, at last, The Blood Of My Chief, Vol. IV!!!

Mats Sundin 1997-2008

Drafted by Quebec in the first round, Mats Sundin is the first European to be selected 1st overall. On June 28th, 1994, Sundin was acquired by Toronto in a draft-day blockbuster which saw the current Leaf Captain, Wendel Clark, traded to the Nordiques along with Sylvain Lefebvre. In 1997, after the departure of Doug Gilmour, Sundin became the 16th Captain, and the first European player to ever wear the C in the NHL.

In many ways, the words "Magnificence and Misery" perfectly sum up the last season that Sundin would Captain the Blue and White. After being eliminated from the playoffs for a third straight year, and missing the final three games due to injury (or was it despair?), many of Sundin's remarkable achievements from that campaign have gone uncelebrated under the noise of the Muskoka Deconstruction Project.

Sundin began the season by breaking an 83-year old record held by Babe Dye, with a 16 game home point streak. During that stretch, in which he tallied 8G and 17A, Sundin surpassed Darryl Sittler for all-time Leaf leader in points and goals, on the same play no less (Oct. 11 vs NYI). Two nights later (Oct. 13 vs. Pit), he goes ahead of Sittler again, this time in assists, for 2nd all-time on the Leafs behind only Borje Salming.

On November 27th at home against Montreal, Sundin delivers yet another dramatic moment, tying the game with 18 seconds to go, for his 400th goal as a Maple Leaf.

On February 7th, this time in Montreal, Sundin becomes the 30th player in NHL history to collect 1,300 points.

If you're fascinated by numerology, dig this: On March 6th in Boston, Sundin played in his 1,300th career game, and scored his 30th goal of the season. Coincidence? Sundin has scored 20 goals or more in 13 consecutive seasons as a Leaf. Now add up all those numbers - 1+3+0+0+3+0+2+0+1+3 = 13. His number is 13. Coincidence?

Sundin is the first Swedish player to reach 1,000 points. On October 14, 2006, he became the first Swedish player to score 500 goals in the NHL. It was an incredibly dramatic goal that came in overtime, with the Leafs short-handed, for his 3rd goal of the night. Simply doesn't get better then that.

Overtime is where Mats has truly dominated. Sundin is tied with Jaromir Jagr for the NHL record for most regular season overtime goals with 15, and also shares the record for the fastest overtime goal ever scored - 6 seconds (at St. Louis, Dec. 30/1995). He also has two overtime goals in the playoffs for the Leafs.

In 981 games as a Maple Leaf, Sundin has scored 420 goals, 567 assists, for 987 points, leaving him just 13 shy of 1,000 (coincidence?). He has Captained the Leafs to franchise records in wins (45 - 3 times, '99, '00, '04) and points (103 - 2004), their first division title in 37 years (2000), and has taken the team as far as the Conference Finals twice ('99, '02). He is, in fact, one of the greatest leaders this team or city has ever seen, and in his absence this season, he will be deeply missed by those that crave the excitement that only Sundin can generate. He leadership will also be missed (for a time), for such is the weight of carrying the C on a Maple Leaf sweater that currently none on the roster are ready to assume it.

One of the greatest players to ever wear the Blue and White, Mats Sundin is already a legend, and proudly served the Leafs and their fans through an incredible career, whose legacy, perhaps, has not yet been fully written. His name deserves reverence, along with those of the other Chiefs of our tribe, Gilmour, Clark, Vaive, Sittler, Keon, Armstrong, and so on, down to Hap Day. They are the unique individuals who understood the honour and privilege they carried, and did so with grace and courage, as each had done before them.
Eventually, the time will come to celebrate the brilliant contribution of Mats Sundin to our tribe, but now is not that moment. Today we move forward into a new era, a new beginning, without a Chief to guide us, but there may yet be one in our midst. There is hope that new leaders will present themselves this season, and that a player with the stature and respect worthy of carrying the C for the Maple Leafs will eventually emerge.

So concludes The Blood Of My Chief. I hope you all enjoyed. Please see the Footnote.

Poker Face Puppet

First of all, credit where it's due. Nice work by TorontoSportsMedia, PuckDaddy, and Mirtle. I've been kinda late reacting to this, possibly due to a mix of denial and apathy, but in case anybody's wondering what El General thinks, here it comes:

I've always admired Mats Sundin, though not unconditionally. There have always been conditions. One of those conditions, the first, is to continually bring respect to the Maple Leaf uniform. Beware readers: I may have turned a corner here.

Poker.

Poker? Seriously, poker. P-O-K-E-R. Mats Sundin is playing poker. Yes, poker. Not hockey. Not sticks and skates and pucks and speed and courage and honour. Nope. Poker. A game you play with a deck of cards and plastic coloured chips. Not Crazy Eights, but close. It's poker. A game that just isn't fun unless you play for money. I would've thought Go Fish was more Sundin's style.

"I have always enjoyed playing poker and partnering with PokerStars gives me the opportunity to challenge myself and explore the full potential of my game."

PokerStars. Not Bob Gainey. He only gave Sundin the opportunity to join a glorious franchise for their historic 100th season. Only the challenge of being a key component on a team with the most potential to rival Pittsburgh for a spot in the Cup Final. That's all.

"It means I will be more able to fulfill my personal ambition of working with charities around the world and I will be donating 100 percent of the money I earn from playing poker to charity."

Gosh, what a beautiful sweetheart. Another way Mats could fulfill his ambition of working with charities around the world would be to play for the Vancouver Canucks. They're sorta needy and unfortunate. Then Sundin could donate 100 percent of 10 million dollars to charity and it would really be win-win, except, of course, when the Canucks lose, which they would still do often, even with Sundin.

"I believe the fighting spirit I've developed as a hockey pro will really help me at the tables."

That's not a "fighting spirit". It's called a "Country Club atmosphere", and it seems to be floating on Sundin's shoulders wherever he goes. But yes, that Country Club atmosphere he's cultivated will certainly help him at the tables.

Thank goodness Sundin is no longer Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It would be an odd situation, to say the least, to have the leader of the league's most prestigous team openly endorsing online gambling. To be fair, PokerStars.com is just poker and has no links to slots, horse-racing, or sports-wagering. The ultra chic design seems to suggest that this is a place for up-scale, mature online gamblers, not teenagers and college students. The frequent player points program seems to encourage and reward dedication to this popular online activity. Just like death will reward me for my dedication to smoking cigarettes.

Thankfully, most of the young people who admire Sundin are not the least bit impressionable. Unlike Mats, they are more then capable of making up their own minds and making their own decisions. By the way, how's that coming? Any progress?

"I will not make up my mind before the season starts. That's how I feel right now. If I would feel like retiring, I would say it."

Of course. Take your time. What about poker? Will Mats play in any more tournaments?

"Absolutely!"

...(sigh) I'm not sure Mats should come back to Toronto anymore. He can go play in Vancouver and build a Country Club out there. We're trying to get serious about winning hockey games, not card games. If you get more excited at the prospect of holding a Royal Flush then you do touching the Stanley Cup, then there is something seriously wrong with you. That sure as hell ain't leadership.
...(sigh) I've had another moment to think about it - I didn't realize it was this bad - Mats Sundin has lost his mind and no one can help him. This is going to get worse. Michael Jackson worse.

General Images: Exclusive Festival Cup Photos!

If you missed the summary of the game, my last post has it covered and then some. (I found greener!) As Damien might say, maybe you'll laugh your head off, but then maybe you won't.

The Event

The Festival Cup for Right To Play.

The Opening Face-Off

That really is Mats and that really is Dougie shaking hands at centre ice. Breathtaking.

Cujo

The first and only star of the game. Still has it.

A Fight!!!

Tim Robbins (see Bob Roberts, and The Player, awesome movies), wearing an Obama '08 jersey, beats up a McCain supporter on team Republican, whoops, I mean, team Red.

Gettin' pounded at a charity game is a bit sad.

The Reunion

Beautiful picture of Sundin and Sir Gary Roberts getting reacquainted during the warm up skate. Two of the most outstanding gentlemen and hockey players to ever play for Toronto. Weird that Sundin has the wrong team's socks on.

The Captain

Despite the fact that the red team squandered a 6-2 lead and lost, 9-8 in a shootout, it was great to see the former Leaf Captain. In fact, it was strikingly like old times. I personally have a great deal of admiration and respect for Sundin as an athelete, and as a person, and I really appreciate the comments he made while he was in town:

"The fans in Toronto certainly deserve to have a team that competes for the Stanley Cup every year. Whatever happens to me — whether I'm not going to play anymore or whatever happens — I think Toronto's always the team in my heart."

Pure class. We know what it's like to come back. We feel it, too.

"... it definitely feels like coming home, for sure."

The Festival's In Town

It wasn't much of a hockey game. "Exhibition" game would be a poor description. This was a charity game. For a good cause, for sure, but it had the energy of an old-timers skill's competition. At one point in the third period, Cujo attempted to stick-handle the length of the ice and made it all the way to the opposing blue line before he was checked off the puck. He also made it back to his crease before anybody threatened the open goal. It was that kind of a game. It was all for a good cause.

I didn't recognize most of the "celebrities" or even some of the NHL low-stars like Wojtek Wolski. Mostly it looked like a bunch of half-baked, pudgy, goofballs floating around the ice. Imagine 40 Kyle Wellwoods and you've got it.

There were a few surprises: Alan Thicke was no-show. It was better that way.

Gilmour left early, sometime in the first period. He wore the "C" for the white team, but I didn't see him at all in the 2nd or 3rd or even after the game.

A wonderful surprise was Sir Gary Roberts wearing the red sweater alongside Sundin, also in red and wearing the "C" in place of Luc Robitaille. It was good to see Sir Gary. I thought of Norte.

Stajan was awful. Does that count as a surprise? I know it was a charity game, but he did nothing to be noticed except when he was dumb, lazy, or clumsy. I'm sorry brothers and sisters, but it doesn't look good. Even Spezza was better and Spezza really sucks. The best player was Draper, I thought, and Avery was allright, but here's what a monkey he is: He deliberately shoots the puck at the goalie after the whistle, then whirls around with a smile on his face, ready to punch someone, in a charity game. He was booed even more then Spezza and Spezza really sucks.

I did take pictures, and I'll post them as soon as I can. Too sleepy.

Summary

I didn't keep record of the times for any of these events. At one point, my wife asked me if they were even keeping score. I looked up and said "yes", but was genuinely surprised to see that they were actually stopping the clock between plays.

1st period

Kypreos and Joe Thornton assist on the opening goal. Didn't catch who scored it.

Roberts fires the puck at Cujo really hard. (He ends up doing this several times throughout the game, each time getting a loud ovation.)

Avery misses the net on a penalty shot. The booing begins.

Sundin assists on Luc Robitaille's goal, red team takes a 3-1 lead.

D.B. Sweeny, who sounds like a Boston Bruin, but isn't, makes it 4-1.

2nd period

Popcorn and a soda costs $9.25!

Sir Gary Roberts scores from Sundin and Kypreos to make it 6-2.

Tim Robbins, wearing an Obama '08 jersey, scores on a penalty shot, when the referees pulled the net to the left of the unsuspecting goaltender, helping Robbins and team white on their comeback. It wasn't as bad as the Fraser call, but it was close.

Avery makes a nice pass and someone else scores (how often has that happened? Ladies?) and it's 6-4.

3rd period

Wojtek Wolski scores his second to make it 6-5, Cujo with an assist. Will Wojtek Wolski stwike for a hat-twick. We'll have to wait and see.

Despite really sucking, Spezza ties it, 6-6.

A beautiful pass from Robitaille to smooth skating Jennifer Botterill makes it 7-6, red. A lot of nice features on that line, especially Robitaille, around the eyes.

Spezza ties it again. Stajan is nowhere. Here's what should have happened:

"As Spezza was about to score his second goal of the game late in the third, Stajan catches him with his head down and nails him to the ice. The full impact of his shoulder knocked Spezza's helmet flying, and his consciousness from his body, which lay motionless for some time. What began as a night of charity and goodwill has become Matt Stajan's greatest showcase of his will to succeed and deliver."

The white team goes ahead for the first time with 2:45 remaining, 8-7, on Craig Simpson's goal. The collapse is complete for team red, and its Captain, Sundin, and I start to think about what Ron Wilson said about leadership.

A Too Many Men On The Ice penalty gives red a chance to tie the game. With the extra attacker, Sundin and Draper assist on Derek Roy's goal to make it 8-8. Yawn.

Craig Simpson appears to score for team white with 5 seconds left, but the goal is waived off and disallowed. Total bullshit. (The whole game I'm practically in a panic about Dougie, 'cause he hasn't come out of the dressing room since the 1st.)

Oh no. A Shootout.

Washington's Mike Green scores for team white.
Joe Thornton scores for team red.
Spezza scores but he still really, really sucks.
For red, Derek Roy scores.
For white, funny Tim Robbins scores.
Red: Sweet Jennifer Botterill scores. It's 3-3.
The guy from Blue Rodeo misses.
Here comes D.B. Sweeney: He misses.
Sundin! Out of nowhere! In alone against Joseph...! Misses with the back hand. Anti-climax.
Then somebody for the white team misses.
Then Luc Robitaille misses.
Then someone else misses. Then who cares? Another miss. Shoot-outs suck. They're so boring and retarded. Ah, finally someone scored! Some guy for the white team, doesn't even matter.
And now Joseph makes an easy save and it's over. Joe Bowen, whose comedy stylings kept us entertained throughout the entire evening, announces Cujo as the player of the game. They give him a funny little trophy and everyone crowds around and has their picture taken with it.

And then it's over, and suddenly Sundin is gone. I didn't even see him go or say goodbye. He just vanished. Maybe he was mad about missing on the shootout. Maybe he was concerned about Dougie. Or maybe he just never stopped to consider that this might be the last time he skates off the ice at the ACC because, well, he doesn't need to. It won't be.

Welcome back to Toronto, Mats. One step at a time.

This Is How We Say Goodbye

Exciting news, everyone! Important things are happening and they're happening quickly:

Bryan McCabe is officially no longer a Maple Leaf.

Mats Sundin is back in town for a charity hockey game.

Jaredoflondon has magical powers!

Who is the "interesting mystery personality" that has just been added to the growing list of famous names scheduled to attend the Festival Cup?

And why has no one heard of the Festival Cup before?

So, Cliff had a plan to make the 16th Captain more comfortable, and now Sundin has come back to witness the "final execution" of that masterplan, that is - the realization of a once-considered impossible challenge of dispatching Bryan McCabe to anywhere for anything.

If you admire Sundin and you still want to see him return to the NHL as a Maple Leaf, don't give up hope. The door is still open. For all other teams, however, time has run out. Sundin is nowhere near being ready for opening night, so that eliminates any "group" considering itself a contender.

"I never believed in rental players to start with," Sundin told reporters. "I think if you want to be part of the team that has a chance to win the Stanley Cup or a team that is going far in the playoffs, my opinion has always been that you want to be there from training camp or the start of the season to be part of the group."

We know Sundin is not, and will never, ever be, a rental player for a contending team. That leaves only the Leafs and other teams that suck, and I can't imagine him finishing his brilliant career with a half-season on some crappy team, unless for some reason, it's what he dreams about it.

"My dream and the best scenario would be if I ended my career as a Toronto Maple Leaf."

Remember the Dream, Mats. One last time, one more year. Dream.
Here's how it goes down: Cliff says to Mats, "This is what I'm going to do...", then he whispers in Mats' ear. Mats says, "Wow, the whole team! That would be comfortable! Sounds too good to be true and I've been fooled by you guys once before. Call me when it's done. Until then, I'm going fishing." Fletcher's a responsible guy and he can't chase Sundin the way he deserves, so he does the next best thing: he trades the right to do it to Bob Gainey. It's a test of faith, but also a way of flattering Sundin the way he ought to be, by letting someone else do it. Gainey goes to Sweden, Vancouver perpetuates its own fantasy, and meanwhile Fletcher keeps himself busy improving the hockey club.

Sundin never had any desire to play for anyone else, but he also had no desire to waste an entire summer training and conditioning for a team he's not employed to, that owes him no commitment, and may not follow up on its promises. Cliff went to work while Sundin went fishing. Essentially, he retired at that point. Now that Cliff's work is done, Sundin can begin to see if his body is ready for another NHL season, and if his spirit is willing to return to that level. Friday, at the Festival Cup, is Step One.

I'm sure by now everyone is dying of anticipation, wondering who is the "interesting mystery personality" attending the Festival Cup, but first let me point out some important names that have already been announced. Curtis Joseph, Doug Gilmour, Matt Stajan, will all be playing, but there's also Joe Nieuwendyk, not officially participating, but he'll be hangin' around the building somewhere. Both Cujo and Joe are good friends with Sundin and are likely to encourage him one way or another.For Stajan, the game possibly represents a passing of the torch. It is beginning to look more and more like Matt Stajan is being groomed to be the next Captain of the Maple Leafs. While Kaberle has been invisible this summer, Stajan has introduced Leaf fans to a free (promotional) exhibition contest, and is now representing the Leafs at a high profile charity event. One thing is clear: Mats Sundin is no longer the Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, nor will he be on opening night. Sundin may yet return, but the Blood Of My Chief waits for no one. Along with a new "A", there will be a 17th Captain wearing the "C" for that first game. With the departure of McCabe, and the indefinite absence of Sundin, Stajan will have a letter on the front of his sweater, it's just a question of which one.

Exclusive Leafs(sort of)-Hockey-Fan-Related Minor Announcement

And now finally, the moment you've all be waiting for! About to be revealed for the very first time, the "interesting mystery personality" whose name has been added to the exciting list of celebrities and hockey players appearing at the Festival Cup! Joining Mats Sundin, Cujo, Stajan, Doug Gilmour, along with Sean Avery, Joe Thornton, Jason Spezza and Steve Stamkos, will be, from Hollywood; Luc Robitaille, Tim Robbins, Alan Thicke and... (if you guessed Kirk Cameron, boy, you are so close!) In fact, the latest addition to this exciting list of names is none other then me, Leaf-blogger extraordinaire, general borschevsky! The guy who's typing what your eyes are reading. Yep, just your usual general borschevsky will be in attendance at the Festival Cup. I will not be participating in the actual game, but I will be surveying and recording the action and events in my mind (or with a notepad, I haven't decided yet) and will post the results as soon as I can. So, probably long after you've already read about it somewhere else.

Thanks for dropping by everybody. Lots more to come!

Nowhere-Mats

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but what about fourteen pictures to go along with song lyrics that everybody recognizes! What's that worth? At least 14,056 words, - probably way more. I did this once before, but I think more people will recognize The Beatles then The Littlest Hobo. There's nothing really insightful here, just some colours and a familiar melody. It won't make you laugh out loud or want to tell your friends, but it might pass the boredom for about 20 seconds if you need a short break from reality. In any case, it doesn't take long. Unfortunately we couldn't get Sir Paul McCartney to join us and lend his voice to our blog (due to my close relationship with Heather Mills, and his spiteful nature), however, if you listen very carefully, that really is Ringo Starr playing the drums. He's great.


He's a real Nowhere-Mats,

Living in his Sundin-land,
Making all his Nowhere-plans,
For nobody


Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's giong to,
Isn't he a bit like you,
And me



Nowhere-Mats, please listen,

You don't know what you're missin',

Sundin, man, The world is at your command

Hockey Or Death!

"My dream and the best scenario would be if I ended my career as a Toronto Maple Leaf. That hasn't changed. But I'm not going to say that I'm not going to play anywhere else either, because I'm not really in control of that".

I've never seen anyone in such complete control of their destiny as Mats Sundin is now. Yet the battle rages on. If only this juggernaut of indecision could be defeated, if only the Dragon of Doubt in his mind could be struck down with a mighty cry, "Hockey Or Death!" Reminds me of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Rather, Mats Sundin reminds me of a Hamlet who's dropped out of high school, smokes too much weed, and won't stop watching the Discovery channel in the basement.
"To be, or not to be... that is the fucked up shit..."

"Would you please get a job!!"

"Mom, I told you a hundred times, I don't know what I wanna do!"

A long time ago I sarcastically suggested that Cliff simply give Sundin the control to make his own decision about returning and what kind of environment he'd like to be in. Then, upon the hiring of Ron Wilson, I took that as an indication that Cliff was here to stay, and that Mats Sundin still had the door held open for him, so long as his heart wasn't set on a Stanley Cup ('cause we know he's not about the money; Guy Carbonneau said so).

And so we waited. It rained a lot this summer. More then usual.

The negotiating rights to Sundin were traded away to bitter rivals, Montreal, but I concluded that it was insignificant, that Sundin had no interest in signing anything before July 1st. At that point, he had only two things on his mind: arctic fishing, and vowing never to go to Mark Messier's New York hair salon ever again. It's a scam. All they do is shave your head and charge you $70! Sure your head smells like flowers for a week, but it's also so slippery you can't wear a comfortable hat on a windy day. Time passed. Arctic fishing was a huge success. You should have seen him at it, he was unbelievable! If only this sport had the same kind of following as the NHL, Sundin's brilliance would be twice as legendary. So many fish overcome by raw talent. They never had a chance.

Meanwhile, I interrupted a post to announce the breaking news that Cliff Fletcher was doing everything he could to make the Captain comfortable for the upcoming season in Toronto. The funny part though, was that's exactly what Cliff said he was going to do, back on May the 28th.

"After I sit down and tell him what we have in mind- (which wasn't for public consumption then) -I think a clear picture will emerge for him", Fletcher said. "I think he'll be more comfortable."

Well, the Silver Fox made his moves, acquiring Grabovski, Hagman, Hollweg, Mayers, Finger, and Frogren. The public has consumed this information and developed opinion. A clear picture has emerged!
Montreal: You suck.

Vancouver: You suck worse.

Sweden's boring. Even in the summertime.

Of course Mats Sundin is a little sad about last season, but a broken heart can love again. Like all romantic losers, Robert Smith of The Cure loves the Leafs, and that guy's sad about everything.Robert Smith broke his heart in 1979 and made a career out of it. C'mon Mats. You can do it, too. We'll be here. Waiting in the rain. Wanting to die, or just to be given a little attention. Just like a Cure song. We're not sad anymore, Mats. Black is the colour of our love.