Mats Sundin Still Unsure about Future in NHL

Although this writer is a die-hard fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, nobody can blame Sundin for not knowing whether he wants to play in Toronto next year or not.

The Leafs haven't won a Stanley Cup in 41 years, and now that Darcy Tucker and Kyle Wellwood are gone, Sundin will have nobody to play with in Toronto. But with the arrival of Joe Nieuwendyk in the front office, Sundin might consider Toronto for a 14th season.

"He’s a fantastic leader and has got a real winner’s mentality," Sundin told a newspaper. I believe he’s going to help a lot in the process of building a club that’s strong and probably can fight for the Stanley Cup in the future. I believe they’re going to get a good team already this season.

The only chance Sundin has at winning a Cup is with another team, and reports say the Vancouver Canucks are heavily interested in Sundin.

"It’s not true at all that I’m definitely going to Vancouver," Sundin told Aftonbladet. "I haven’t yet decided if I’m going to continue to play hockey."

Sundin, at age 37, doesn't have much of a career left. He's not even sure if he is going to play next year or not. But when you have a team offering you $20 million over two years, it's hard to say no.

Another offer has come from the Montreal Canadiens.

"Nothing is out of the picture," Sundin told the newspaper when asked if the Leafs were still an option.

"I got a very good offer from them [reportedly $14 million over two seasons] plus one from Montreal. But Vancouver’s contract was in a class by itself if you look only at the money."

Sundin is still unsure, and has told Swedish sources that he is still weeks away from deciding his future.

"I hope to make a decision about continuing with hockey in August or perhaps at the end of this month," he told the paper. "If I’m going to play, it’ll be for the whole season. Then I’ll also be there from the beginning, when training camp gets underway."

Nobody knows Sundin's future, and only he can determine it. "But we’ll have to see."