Good Night Mats Sundin, and Good Luck

The first day of August came and the first day of August went, and there's still no word from Mats Sundin.

As if this comes as a surprise to anyone. 

His Aug. 1 deadline had all the drama of a paint-drying party in Boring, OR. (Yes, that's a real place.)

It's time to put down this tired storyline. Unfortunately, it's up to Mats to pull that trigger. At this point, it appears that he doesn't even have the hammer pulled back. I'm not even sure if the gun is loaded.

Which leads to only one conclusion: retirement.

It's safe to assume the reality is starting to settle in with Sundin. The writing is on the wall, the ship has sailed, call it a day, and countless other clichés are probably swirling around the head of the Swede, who, in the twilight of his career, wants nothing more than a Stanley Cup ring.

The suitor willing to pay the biggest bucks to Sundin, however, is not the most solid, Stanley Cup contender.

Vancouver has made the best offer, if the reports are to be believed. It's a two-year, $20 million payoff, but for Sundin, I can't imagine the payoff will be a sip of champagne from everybody's favourite stein. Vancouver just isn't there yet.

The New York Rangers stand a much better chance of making a run for the cup, in what will likely be a great Eastern Conference this season. The loss of Jaromir Jagr is viewed by some as a detriment to their success; others see it as clearing away of dead weight. 

Regardless, a more aggressive style of play is guaranteed, but I'd be surprised if the Rangers end up hoisting another banner to the rafters.

Then there's the Montreal Canadiens, a team that will have the entire hockey world shining the biggest, brightest spotlight as the club enters in centennial year. You can bet the Habs will fight hard to get their 25th Stanley Cup banner and GM Bob Gainey has built a formidable team to do that.

Sundin would be a good fit, and would fight just as hard, but there's the inevitable leadership issue that will come up. I think Sundin would be willing to play second banana to both Saku Koivu and Alex Kovalev, if it meant a cup win. 

There's also, however, the stigma of moving from the Maple Leafs to the Canadiens.  Fans on both sides could be brutal on Sundin.

Finally, there's the Maple Leafs, who are said to have offered their captain a one-year, $7 million contract. Toronto, however, has little or no chance of breaking their Stanley Cup curse, at least not this season. GM Cliff Fletcher has given every indication that his rebuilding year begins this season, which is why guys like Darcy Tucker and Mats Sundin are where they are.

So, Mats, it's time to call it a career. It was a good run, and your loyalty to the Maple Leafs is commendable, particularly in a world where loyalty can quickly be bought.  

Despite what retired veterans Steve Yzerman and Joe Nieuwendyk say, it's time to hang it up. If there's any doubt, err on the side of caution and leave the ice on a high note, not a low note, which is where this is heading now.

Time to put the ol' Swedish workhorse out to pasture and ride off in to the sunset, free from the constraints of a hockey contract and soft deadlines.