Mats Sundin Decides to Retire from the NHL

As of Wednesday another big name was added to the long list of All Stars who this past off-season decided to call it a career. This list, which includes such prominent names as Markus Naslund, Jeremy Roenick and Joe Sakic, now includes Mats Sundin who closed the door on what was a hall of fame eighteen- year career. This 38 year-old hulking Swede who in 1989 made history by becoming the first European to be taken first overall in the draft (Quebec Nordiques) spent his first four seasons in Quebec, before being part of a blockbuster trade that shook the hockey world when in the summer of 1994 he became a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was in Toronto where Sundin came of age as a player and right away began his assault on the Leafs all time scoring records. “I spent 13 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs and I had the honour to be the captain for the most historic and greatest franchise in hockey history and it’s also my second home,” said Sundin who ranks number one all time in Leafs franchise history with 420 goals, 79 game winning goals 124 power play goals and 987 points. Even though this star forward never won the Stanley Cup he was successful not only internationally where he won a Swedish league title, World Championships in ’91, ’92 and ’98 and an Olympic Gold in 2006 but also for having a positive influence on such young players as Leafs Matt Stajan who was full of praise for his former captain. “I learned so much from Mats, it was a pleasure playing with him,” said Stajan. “I don’t think any of us who played with him could ask for a better guy to be our captain or leader.” What most hockey fans don’t realize is that Sundin who ranks fourth highest in points (1,349) among European born players had 564 career goals and in the process became only the fifth player to surpass 500 goals and never win a Stanley Cup. As word spread around the NHL about his retirement on Wednesday people couldn’t say enough about him not only as a player but also as a human being. One of those people to speak about Sundin was his former coach in Toronto Pat Quinn. “For me, it was a great experience to have him as a player on the team that I was involved with,” said Quinn who is now coaching the Edmonton Oilers. “He’s a gentleman, he’s a wonderful athlete, he was a good captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs and certainly an honest, everyday performer who was very dependable. He probably was underrated.” This eight time all star who almost retired last year before becoming a Vancouver Canuck and scoring 28 points in 41 games said that he has no regrets in coming back last year and that he has lots of great memories from his eighteen year career. “No, not really,” said Sundin when asked if he had regrets over not winning a Stanley Cup. “ I don’t feel bad. On the other hand, I had so much fun playing in the NHL and I experienced so much, I feel I got what I wanted from that league. It was just time I think. Obviously, it’s not an easy decision but I feel with body and soul right now, it’s time to quit my professional career as a hockey player.” His legacy will be all the young Swedes such as Leafs prospect Victor Stalberg who grew up idolizing Sundin who retires as the 25th highest scorer all in the NHL. “It didn’t matter if the night before he got knocked out of the playoffs here, or if he had an injury or something, he was always there when the national team needed him,” said Stalberg. “He’s been a great role model, not only for me, but for a lot of young Swedish players.” Here is hoping that number 13 gets what he so richly deserves in the future and that’s a spot in the Hockey Hall Of Fame.