Goodbye, Mats Sundin

A week ago I wrote that Mats Sundin will be coming back to Toronto, and his decision to join the Maple Leafs should transpire soon.  Well I finally got off the "speed" that I have been doing (according to one comment).

Let me quote Mats Sundin in some of his most sincere and honest moments.  Please be patient as this matter has taken a lot more time and energy than it should.

Here are some of his quotes:

"And when things are not going well in Toronto, you're going to hear about it. And you're going to say things are not good at all, where it's really not that bad."

"Any chance you have to sit back and be the one watching is great."

"At this level, you put a lot of pressure on yourself as a player to perform and do well."

"Everybody is excited to play, so I think who plays with whom is a minor thing at this point."

"I put a lot of pressure on myself, more than anyone else."

"I think people want success, you know, and I'm the captain."

"I think you're a little more fragile when you're younger."

"I'm 31 years old and I want to be part of a championship team before my career is over."

"I'm sure once my career's over, when I look back when I'm older, I can maybe appreciate it a little bit more."

"I've been around racing a fairly long time, but when it comes to the important issues, I'm happy to let others make the big decisions."

"It was hard to watch, the business side is so big in the game."

"It's all trotters in Sweden, so that's what's always caught my eye."

"My job is to make sure we keep performing."

"Players come and go, good friends, players who performed well. You can't control that."

"Seeing someone else perform and letting me be the critic for once...that's not a bad thing."

"Since I came here I've been treated awesomely, in all aspects. I really enjoy playing here."

"When I was young, I would go to the races and it was an unbelievable feeling when you'd watch them race."

"With the fans and the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, the way I've been treated here has been awesome."

"Winning a Stanley Cup for Toronto—that's the biggest dream and the biggest goal."

“I want to win the Stanley Cup...If we're going to bring in some older guys, they better be good, and if we are going to have some younger guys, we want them to be good, too, and become even better. I think it's a time and it's a franchise and a town where I don't think we can really sit back and rebuild. We have to go for it this year again, just the way we've been trying the last few years, and keep having good runs in the playoffs and hopefully get some more experience.”

"I was very flattered about all this interest."

"I will not make up my mind before the season starts."

"That's how I feel right now. Others have started playing in the middle of the season. If I would feel like retiring, I would say it."

"I don't know. I do think that I have a lot of different options I can explore. And I think I still (maintain) that I want to end my career as a Toronto Maple Leaf. Saying that, though, the way the situation is right now, I don't have everything in my control, either. There's got to be a mutual agreement there.

"At this point, I don't have anything I can say about what's going to happen next year personally. I don't know."

Having looked at those quotes, I feel very sad—and upset with Mats Sundin.  It is true that the Maple Leafs owe this man nothing.  However, Mats Sundin owes his fans and Leafs Nation an explanation as to how he has changed his stance when it comes to being a rental player.

We will miss you, Mats, but this ship can't wait for you too long.  The new blood and fresh faces will print a new page in the books of Leafs Nation, and your name will join other memorable players of the past.

We wish you the best on your new career, and maybe one day you can sit there and watch the Leafs win the Stanley Cup and regret not finishing your story with us.  You will never be bigger than Leafs Nation‚only because Leafs Nation is what makes you who you are today.

Thank you for your services, and thank you Leafs Nation for writing a new page in the NHL history book.  Only Leafs Nation has the capacity and power to create legends and write history.

Sincerely

Leafs Nation Member