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leafs SUCK.
Don't worry be happy; Bob will take care of everything. :)
When you read all the articles from the pros and media, it's a strong case that Sundin is Vancouver-bound and just not ready to reveal it. Beyond the money, it makes sense in one other way - if I were Sundin, I would see it as a positive to go to a Western team and escape the scrutiny of Laff fans and media and just play hockey.
I've been saying for weeks he'll make his decision in July - based on his repeated assertions that he wants to be in camp with his new team, and that he needs to be in shape to do that. They report now that he's training - which obviously he would need to do to be ready for Sept. camp.
So this all fits to me. I see Sundin as Canuck. On the upside, at least we won't have to play against them and his shot at being a cup threat is low.
~Listen to the smart dog!
SUNDIN INTERVIEW!! (supposedly, it is Eklund)
From Aftonbladet, in english and he denies the rumours about Vancouver but says he will decide soon!!
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16304
anyone else think he's trying "to hard" to make his final decision not look like a money decision. . . playing prevent defense only to sign with vancouver in a few weeks??
Sounds like that to me too. What I don't get is why its taken since April to decide if he is going to play or not. I don't get this guy.
From the interview:
Sundin: "It's not true at all that I'm definitely going to Vancouver. I haven't yet decided if I'm going to continue to play hockey"
"I hope to make a decision about continuing with hockey in August or perhaps at the end of this month. 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."
"When you're a professional hockey player, the money is one part of the total picture before a decision. But there are plenty of other things that play in as well. If it was only about the money, I would have already signed with Vancouver."
"It feels very doubtful that I'll play in any more Olympic tournaments. You should never say never, but it feels very far away."
"Nothing is out of the picture. I got got a very good offer from them [Toronto] also plus one from Montreal. But Vancouver's contract was in a class by itself if you look only at the money."
"I haven't followed it so closely, but Joe Nieuwendyk has come into the club's front office, and he's a fantastic leader and has got a real winner's metality. 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."
"And of course I feel strongly for Toronto after 13 seasons with the club. It feel like home. But we'll have to see."
Well, its good to know there'll be a decision in a few weeks.
From this interview I got that:
It is good news that he felt the need to have an interview to deny that rumour himself, as opposed to just letting his agent do it. At least it seems as if that was BS to begin with...
I still remain hopeful that the Sundin rumors are false, but check out this blog full of interesting quotes regarding Sundin.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16301
Dear lord, this is starting to look like it has legs...
Maybe, or maybe its bullshit. I really hope its BS but...
I would say when was the last time a hockey player took less money, but then Hossa (reputation for being all about the money) just did so...
Grrr....
I don't think its prudent to make fun of the leafs too much. Any team can survive on its special teams nowadays, and Ron Wilson is an excellent special teams coach. Toskala has grown into a very good goalie. I see them losers surprising a few this year.
The Leafs will be a boring defensive team this year. That is the only way they'll be able to compete. Even with Ron Wilson behind the bench I don't think they have the players to be a good defensive team. They'll be in a battle with Atlanta and the Islanders for last place in the East all year long.
I pull for all Canadian teams except the Leafs and it is more so because of their obnoxious fans than the team itself. IF the Leafs ever win the Cup again their fans will be unbearable. That is why I do not like to see them do well.
Us Montreal fans don't have a stellar reputation either, you know the rioting and all that.
Of course, there is the opposite viewpoint as well. Some will trash Gainey if Sundin signs elsewhere. I expect to read that Gainey is not a good salesman, is too conservative, doesn't know what he's doing, etc...
But most logical people should recognize and accept the fact that Sundin is a free agent and has the right to choose where he will play based on whatever his reasons are. There is no need to blame anybody.
Im not a leafs fan either but I will make an admission that Im sure will invite some ridicule onto myself, but last year, I found their brand of hockey very attractive, in fact from February onward, they played my type of hockey, more so than the habs did.
Truth is unlike a lot of people here I don't hate the Leafs. I want them to do worse than the Habs but I always root for Canadian teams over American ones. That said Toronto is a fucking joke. They embarrass themselves.
They probably will compete this season, like they did last season. They will play themselves out of a draft pick and still miss the playoffs. Bad way to rebuild IMO.
Its pretty hard to ask a team to forsake their reputation and tank the whole year for the sake of a draft pick. And the roster that they have isn't built to tank, its pretty decent if you ask me. And should Sundin resign with them, they will make the playoffs and be dangerous I think.
Isn't the #1 pick a lottery between the basement teams anyways? Purposely tanking the season to get into the lottery doesn't assure them of getting Tavares if they don't get the #1 pick. Now that would be funny... finish dead last and end up with the 3rd pick.
I agree. I enjoy making fun of them because they are so pathetic, but I don't really hate them. I hate them when they play Montreal, but in the overall scheme of things, I actually hate Ottawa much worse than Toronto. Between Bryan Murray, Jason Spezza and the rest of those losers, I can't stand them.
The habs have always been my clear-cut #1, there's no exception. However, I do like other teams as well. Ottawa *used* to be one of the teams I enjoyed following but not anymore. I visited Calgary on business a few years ago and since then, my western conf team has been the Flames hands down. I had the luxury of going there for a week and they played two games in-town.
On game days, the city is electrifying. Everywhere you look, someone is wearing some kind of Flames merchandise, usually a sweater, from the hotel staff to retail store personnel, etc, its Flames frenzy. I have to admit, seeing a sea of red at home games is very intimidating =D
They have great fans no doubt. We have the best fans here in Montreal but Calgary is definitely next on the list of best fans!
I don't know what it is about that team, seems they've always had a dark cloud over their heads since day 1. Seems like every outsider other than Heatley thats joined via trade has crapped out in Ottawa and if you could read the expression on their faces it seems to say 'I can't wait to get out of here'.
You're right...a few of their fans will say "wow, I'm surprised! We're way worse than last year!"
It doesn't look like things'll pick up any time soon, either...at least not with the Sundin Saga. I was talking to a guy in Australia this morning, where it's already Monday night. Seems Sundin still won't have made any announcements by 8:30pm today.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com