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Would Habs' No. 13 fit hulking Leaf Sundin?
posted by Dave Stubbs at 10h18 EST on Jun 23
PUTTING ON LUCKY 13
Habs courting Maple Leafs captain Sundin: Sleeping with the enemy never looked so good
DAVE STUBBS
The Gazette
If the Canadiens do indeed sign Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin in the days ahead - the economically follicled Steve Bégin and Bryan Smolinski might sweeten the pot by sharing their Montreal hair-stylist's phone number - look for equipment manager Pierre Gervais to be up to his armpits in mothballs.
Gervais will have to dig very deep in his trunk to find Sundin the No. 13 he'll surely request, having worn that sweater throughout his 1,388-game NHL career with the Quebec Nordiques and Maple Leafs.
Of course, there's a distinct possibility that the jersey Gervais finds won't fit the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Sundin. The No. 13 was last worn in Montreal in 1921-22 by Billy Boucher, who was 10 inches shorter and 75 pounds lighter than the colossal Swede.
Boucher shared the No. 13 that season with fellow forward Edmond Bouchard. Only one other Canadien in the team's 99-year history has worn it, winger Lorenzo Bertrand tugging it on in 1913-14 - three seasons before the birth of the NHL.
It is to understate the issue by suggesting that Leaf Nation will be unhappy should Sundin, the longtime face of their franchise, sign with the despicable Canadiens - this after he so selfishly (say his critics) refused to waive his no-trade clause at February's trading deadline.
That Sundin wanted to finish the season as a Maple Leaf, his NHL home for more than 1,000 games, was viewed as disloyal by many Toronto fans, seen as a sign that he was standing in the way of the Leafs' novel idea to rebuild.
Compounding Leafs fans' misery: If Sundin signs here, that will make it the last two Toronto captains signed by the Canadiens. Remember Doug Gilmour?
If Gilmour in the CH took a little getting used to, neither imagination nor Photoshop can make Sundin look right in a Canadiens jersey. In old photos, he looks strange enough in the sweater of the Nordiques, with whom he broke into the NHL in 1990.
But the Canadiens crest and the bleu-blanc-rouge? This will look even loopier on Sundin than on Gilmour, who made Montreal his seventh NHL club from 2001-03 and played 131 regular-season games and another dozen in the 2001-02 playoffs.
Admit it: You loathed Killer when he was a Leaf, yapping and stirring it up, but you adored him as a Canadien. The same would apply with Sundin, less vocal but still an enormous thorn in the Habs side seemingly forever.
For now, you hate Sundin because:
• He led all Maple Leafs against the Canadiens in 2007-08 with seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games.
• Against Montreal, he leads all Leafs in career games played (85), goals (32), assists (48) and points (80).
• He has collected more assists (48) vs. the Canadiens than any other NHL club.
• He earned his 1,300th career point Feb. 7 at the Bell Centre.
• He scored his 400th career goal Nov. 27 vs. Montreal at the Air Canada Centre.
Considering Sundin in the CH reminds me of the photo we published of Canadiens legend John Ferguson on Sept. 6, 2003, Fergy wearing a Maple Leafs jersey while in British Columbia, taking part in the Legends of the Game Fishing Classic.
Fergy had just learned his son, John Jr., had been named general manager of the Leafs. To celebrate, he playfully tugged on the Toronto sweater tossed to him by former Leafs defenceman Bobby Baun.
Event organizer Geoff Godden emailed us a photo of Fergy beaming in Baun's No. 21, and we ran it with a story in which Fergy joked he had switched allegiance because of his son's new job. Within six hours of publication, readers were accusing us of treason and, worse, of trickery - of digitally draping the Leafs jersey on Fergy who'd "just as soon use it as a car rag than wear it," one reader sniffed.
Fergy thought the heated reaction was the funniest thing he'd heard, even if he himself said he looked odd in a Leafs sweater.
But the bitter, year-round Montreal-Toronto rivalries of the late Fergy's days are no more, the riches of free-agency having created skating mercenaries who hang together during the offseason on the golf course and banquet circuit.
Should Sundin sign with the Canadiens, assuming he decides to continue playing at all, it will be because it's the best business decision for himself and for the club that sees him as the impact player he can be.
Nothing personal against Toronto. The same went for Gilmour, who's back in the Leafs family as player development adviser.
Now, it's Toronto's 13-year No. 13 who is being courted down the 401. If Sundin signs with Montreal, Leafs fans will turn on him at the drop of Punch Imlach's fedora.
But should Canadiens GM Bob Gainey be successful in laying out a welcome Mats as early as this week, the big Swedish lug will be given the run of our IKEA stores and forgiven of all sins.
Except, perhaps, for that horrible Chunky Soup commercial.
Mats Sundin, a Quebec Nordique in 1991, puts a move on Canadiens goalie Patrick Roy during a game at the Montreal Forum.
Denis Brodeur, NHLI via Getty Images
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The real question is, would YOU buy a Sundin-Habs jersey? (if u had extra money and all that of course, lol)
id buy it the day he scored a winnning goal against Toronto in the ACC (again if i had extra money lying around)
---
We ride together
We die together
Habs Fans for Life!
Who cares who plays with who?
Just get that swedish colossus over here, would you?!!
Mats?
C'mon Mats.
You know it's the right thing to do.
Join Us.
And let's do this thing.
I think it'd be fitting if Sundin came and helped us win the cup, it'd send leafs fans into a collective depression lol
Aren't they already?
Getting Sundin on our squad would shake the foundations of "universe centre".
I just hope its not an agent ploy to garner support for his re-signing with the hated laffs...if so, its not working...laffs have accepted their basement fate.
Mr.Gillett got a taste of some playoff 2nd round coin...his tongue is dragging on the ground now, add the fact of the 100yr, allstar game, outdoor game, etc....its a big year for the Habs!
Trust in Gainey, if we get Sundin it will be a great signing.
Kostysr-Sundin-kostyjr
Tanguy-koivu-Kovalev
Higgs-Plek-Latron
Stewart-Chip-Kostop
equates to a Stanley Cup.
Ummm I don't think they are going to put the two kids with Sundin. I think they would play him with more experienced guys.
Tanguay-Sundin-Kovalev
Higgy-Koivu-Lats
Kostsr-Pleky-Kostjr
Laps-Chips-Beg/Kosto
But who knows what Carbo might do...if we know something about him is that he likes to play with his lines.
BTW Tanguay-Sundin-Kovalev...would be a line to make any defense in the league crap their pants 8-)
agree...Good first line, could be magic.
Love your comment but I might disagree with you on the lines... I do not believe they will change a winning thing...
Tanguay-Sundin-Sergei K.
Andrei K - PLek- Kovalev
Higgy - Koivu - Latendresse
Fourth line would be a mix of Begin, Mad Max, Kosto, Chip...
So these are the lines I would predict, but it hasn't happened yet...
Players win games, teams win championships.
- Bill Taylor
well the big difference is what your doing to koivu...
you've weekened his potential output and demoted him to a third line which is uncalled for, especially with the arrival of Sundin.
Giving Sundin the chemistry and Magic of the kosty brothers is probably our most potent setup, unless you want to give him either Kovalev or Koivu. But Kovalev won't want to be subservient to Sundin, and I don't think Koivu wants to play Wing....basically splitting up the Kovalev line and moving Plek to centre the third (where he falls to if a "Sundin" arrives), pairing the brothers with Sundin and finally fusing Koivu with Kovalev and the new Tanguy ....well...its perfect!
also a good third line with speedy plek with creative higgs and finisher Latron
and the fourth....well take your pick, we've got that covered.
damn this is going to be better than last year!
To tell you the truth, there wasn't any number to the lines. I was just making the lines... We don't really have a1,2,3 line.. We have 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 lines.
Also the thing about putting Koivu and Kovy on same line... They work well for 2 or 3 games, then they have one bad game and they are back to their old lines.. So I don't know how long that will last...
Players win games, teams win championships.
- Bill Taylor
Great article by Howard Berger of the Fan590 about the Sundin saga. For those of who don't know, Howard is one of the better reporters on the Toronto hockey scene. And while Howard, writes about the Leafs, he stands out amongst his fellow Toronto writers for his lack of bias towards the Leafs as well as a unique perspective he brings to covering the team.
His take on the Sundin saga gives us a bit of a perspective on where this may be heading.
Enjoy.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=15807
T.C.
tc.denault@habsworld.net
Indeed this is an excellent analysis of this soap opera and if you read some of Mr. Berger's other articles on Sundin you'll note some more interesting insights such as "money and opportunity" being the prime motivating factors behind the Swedish meatball's desire to move on based ob the fact that this will be his last NHL contract. Not only that but Berger goes on to mention that by signing with the Habs before July 1st, bubblehead will be helping the loafs by providing them with compensataion in the form of a player and/or drfat choices. Caveat emptor Messrs. Gillett and Gainey.
name a better fit available for the habs to sign or do you not think we need anyone?
Thanks T.C. Your right. He summed it up pretty well but I wonder where he got info that Fletcher phoned Gainey and that Habs is Sundin's choice??
I only read a few posts.. So forgive me if my post sounds like yours...
1. Sundin has been a leader for over 15 years. From his years with the Nordiques. Even though Toronto hasn't on anything or accomplished anything for the last 15 years, Mats is the only one that has been consistent. He keeps racking up points even with Nobodies...
2. As for the Koivu and Kovalev egos going at it... Look I do not believe that Koivu and Kovalev are that hot headed. They are going for the same goal here and it is Lord Stanley's Cup.. We finally have a competitive team and I don't think they will mind that.. The only thing they might fight about is the fact that they both are players that want to play every shift... That means they are competitive, but in a good way.
3. This is all nice that everyone is having dreams about Sundin coming here but let us remember what happened with the Hossa trade... Everyone was going gaga and we didn't get him (Happy about that). So lets pipe down and see where it leads us... We are making lines with guys that haven't even signed with us yet... (Sundin, Kostitsyn)...
4. When the time will come Bob gainey will sign us the player that fits on our team.. SUperstar or not... He doesn't sign players unless he knows whre they are going and how they can help the team...
Thanks... Have a nice day..
Players win games, teams win championships.
- Bill Taylor
This guy will be wearing a Habs uniform this year, I don't see any sort of Ego at all. This guy has put up with a lot and you never hear him say squat. He owes nothing to the people of Toronto, I mean come on, this guy was still racking up points playing between Antropilon and Pilonikarovsky. Sundin would tell Gainey to not even bother travelling across the world if he wasn't serious.
I have said this a couple times now, and will say it again....
Kovalev is a GREAT player who plays only GOOD most of the time.
Koivu is a GOOD player who sometimes plays GREAT.
Sundin is a GREAT player who has played GREAT his whole career, even on a crappy team.
Before we get all bent out of shape about "Kovalevs ego", we might want to remember where he had his best season...and who else was on that team....
you mean Jagr, Ronnie Francis and some bum named Mario Lemiuex
or were you referring to his time in New York with Mark Messier and Brian Leetch?
LOL, nice one.
By the way, what does Billy Boucher have on his resume that the Swedish meatball doesn't? (Apart from a gritty playing style that saw him lead the league in penalty minutes).
On another note, I love the photo of bubblehead that accompanies this article as it comes from that memorable playoff series when he led his Nordiques to a 2-0 series lead, which inevitably morphed into a 4-2 LOSS.
And as they always say, "past performance is the best indicator and predictor of future performance".
Note to Bob Gainey: Cancel those reservations to Sweden.
Actually the photo is from 2 years before the series you're talking about Mr.Cleghorn. Says so right in the caption..."Mats Sundin, a Quebec Nordique in 1991, puts a move on Canadiens goalie Patrick Roy during a game at the Montreal Forum." They beat the Nordiques in the spring of '93 after falling behind 2-0 in the series.
Not to put to fine on a point on it, but the photo is from the 1991-92 season as evidenced by the NHL 75th anniversary logo patch on Patrick Roy's jersey.
T.C.
tc.denault@habsworld.net
You may be right about the photo's date but that's secondary to the point I was making.
We need a poll of who wants Mats. I'd do it but wouldn't have a clue how.
I had hoped we got Sundin at the trade deadline last year. We'd still be playing:) but I understand why he didnt want to be a Rental. Hip or no hip this guy is a stud. He is everything we are missing up front...size, wins draws, clutch goals...can change a game. I feared him whenever he was on the ice playing us. You just knew he was going to get the tying or winning goal because he was the guy. In Montreal he wont be the "only" guy. Sharing the load is Tanguay, Kovalev, and Saku and a great young supporting cast. How could it not be the most exciting year of his career??? and on the 100th anniversary on top of it all where the team picture alone is priceless. If he wants to be the last potential key piece to the puzzle and end his career on the ride of his life he better sign. I hope George is flying with "oh well" Bob to sell the sizzle.
Carlin is a icon. Rest in Peace George!
How about we call this your poll.
1 vote for Mats.
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