Sundin: will he sign here? (Take 2)

[Wamsley01]

My theory is that Mats will sign with a team we haven't been hearing too much about, e.g., Rangers, Ottawa, Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, or whatever: mostly teams that, for some reason, seem to have magentic appeal for UFAs. They'll "make room" for him under the cap.

This is exactly what "That guy" is going to do. Go right off the board and give some ridiculous reason for it.

But I have long since passed penciling in "#13 - That Guy" on the first line.

Tanguay, Laraque and the developing youth are good enough for me. But at least all this hype has allowed the media

to ignore Carey Price for 3 months. He is rarely mentioned on these boards these days, a stark contrast from 3 months ago

[Habitforming]

This is exactly what "That guy" is going to do. Go right off the board and give some ridiculous reason for it.

But I have long since passed penciling in "#13 - That Guy" on the first line.

Tanguay, Laraque and the developing youth are good enough for me. But at least all this hype has allowed the media

to ignore Carey Price for 3 months. He is rarely mentioned on these boards these days, a stark contrast from 3 months ago

Shhhh damn it.

you'll wake the trolls

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

The plot thickens...or sickens:

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/st...d4-d2f068db23ab

He "needs more time." Apparently the whole "Aug 1" thing was a throwaway remark that's been blown up into a solemn commitment by the North American media.

The good news is that his agent says Sundin is "flattered" by the ongoing interest, "especially from Vancouver and Montreal." So based on this one sentence, it sounds like those are the top two teams on his list. The hold-up is in deciding whether he wants to play at all, and he expects the big revelation in August sometime.

Edited July 31, 2008 by The Chicoutimi Cucumber

[Ecurb]

I too am fed up with this, and also increasingly pessimistic. We just seem to be cursed when it comes to attracting high-powered UFAs - and it doesn't matter how good we are or how excellent our organization is (never mind the terrific lifestyle the city affords or the magic of the 100th anniversary, etc.).

My theory is that Mats will sign with a team we haven't been hearing too much about, e.g., Rangers, Ottawa, Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, or whatever: mostly teams that, for some reason, seem to have magentic appeal for UFAs. They'll "make room" for him under the cap.

I will say this, though:

-if he signs elsewhere because he doesn't want the "pressure" of leading a team to a Cup, then he's a loser. I don't believe that the warrior I've watched for a decade in hated Leafs blue is a loser. But if that's his rationale, then f**k him.

-if he avoids signing with us because he's afraid of enraging Leafs' fans, then he's just being foolish. In five years his number will be retired in TO and they'll be talking about him as a legend, no matter what he does in a short time with us.

It's already pretty clear the money isn't his main motivation, so I'm not too keen on Vancouver's chances.

Anyway: I'm pretty demoralized. We never get any breaks on the UFA front and the longer this goes on, the less I like our chances. Hopefully this is just excessive pessimism on my part.

Have some faith in Gainey....

I'm surprised there aren't 30 teams interested in Sundin.

I've always felt were players for Sundin, not because he's a good

fit for us, but because we're a good fit for him. :hlogo:

[habs rule]

THIS JUST IN. EK says there many reports that Sundin may not sign in the next 48 hours. this is getting ridiculous. The big lovable dummy Swede is making a complete fool of himself. He has become a coffee house joke. If you don't know by now that you at least want to play your desire is at best weak. He and Favre should share expenses on a good shrink cause they are both egotistical nutcases. Now look that is just my opinion. :ninja:

[Athlétique.Canadien]

[Habsfan]

I always said that I expect "that guy" to make a decision by mid August...so he still has 2 weeks to go!

Like Wamsley said, i liek the team we have now. The Additions of Tanguay and LAraque are great. Let's not forget that the kids are all one year older, and have some playoff experience now!!!

[BCHabnut]

I'm glad "that guy" hasn't signed with someone else yet. I am sick of waiting, but it gives me a reason to check the boards on an otherwise slow time. It's getting very old, but it's also amusing.

[Ecurb]

I always said that I expect "that guy" to make a decision by mid August...so he still has 2 weeks to go!

Like Wamsley said, i liek the team we have now. The Additions of Tanguay and LAraque are great. Let's not forget that the kids are all one year older, and have some playoff experience now!!!

Yup, the additions of Tanguay and Laraque, transformed this team.

Tanguay is a 70-75 point, elite defensive forward. And he should be

our 1st line LW.

Laraque is a 15-20 point, elite enforcer, who can play 10 mins on

a good teams 4th line.

What also happens if we don't get Sundin, is Lapierre and Chipchura

fighting for 3rd line C, with the loser on the 4th line. That ain't that

bad a situation. I've always liked Chipchura and do think he has

some offensive upside.

[habs rule]

this just in Ek says that there is a good possibility that the blds will sign with a team in the nhl or will retire and that is an E5 so you know he's got good sources. God I am bored.

[Habitforming]

No matter what, Sundin's decision is closer then it ever has been.

Myself, I think he plays. Where is the only question left IMO.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

The US military has now gone overboard and too far in their Guantanamo Bay interrogation techniques. Someone call Amnesty International. I read in the news they are now employing Mats Sundin waiting interrogation techniques. That's too cruel!

[Ecurb]

I feel like we're in the final act of the Sundin saga

If he is training, he wants to play.

So, who are the finalists?

The Leafs: Could McCabe want out because he knows something?

The Rangers: Good luck trying to trade either Gomes or Drury

The Nucks: Sundin, if he wanted money, but he was thinking of retiring.

The :hlogo:

[SAKS-AVENUE]

Well boys, sad to say but anyone who remembers my beer cap post.........well, I have not been doing so well. Oh well. I give up, I'm today officially moving on and I like the team we have. I'm starting to wonder if Mats comes to Montreal, will he challenge the team or will they become dependent on him. I could just see January threads........."Does this team rely on Sundin too much?" Sheesh

[Habsfan]

At this point, I really don't care anymore if "that guy" comes to Montreal or not. Our team is god enough and can get pretty far with the players we have.

[MAK]

At this point, I really don't care anymore if "that guy" comes to Montreal or not. Our team is god enough and can get pretty far with the players we have.

In fact does anyone still cares if he comes or not ??

If it happens, fine

if not, we'll still be a force in the east with NYR, phil, wash, pitts and Bost.

[sbhatt]

In fact does anyone still cares if he comes or not ??

I care...it's the difference between being a legit cup contender and not having a realistic shot at it, IMO. As good as the team already is, and as much as I think some of the young players will improve this season...we still need that big centre who can score. Sundin is that player...he's the missing piece of the puzzle.

Don't get me wrong....I like our chances to win the East again even without Sundin. But to make it to the finals and see Detroit across the ice, and have a good chance to beat them...that's another story. The Wings have no weaknesses...so can we really risk facing them with a glaring one?

[Ecurb]

I care...it's the difference between being a legit cup contender and not having a realistic shot at it, IMO. As good as the team already is, and as much as I think some of the young players will improve this season...we still need that big centre who can score. Sundin is that player...he's the missing piece of the puzzle.

Don't get me wrong....I like our chances to win the East again even without Sundin. But to make it to the finals and see Detroit across the ice, and have a good chance to beat them...that's another story. The Wings have no weaknesses...so can we really risk facing them with a glaring one?

I care also.

And I agree with you.

Sundin is a perfect fit for us, we are also a perfect fit for him. Lets give him the time

to realize it. :hlogo:

[KoZed]

The Wings have no weaknesses...so can we really risk facing them with a glaring one?

Having won the Cup this year so not being as hungry anymore is a weakness.

[BTH]

I care...it's the difference between being a legit cup contender and not having a realistic shot at it, IMO. As good as the team already is, and as much as I think some of the young players will improve this season...we still need that big centre who can score. Sundin is that player...he's the missing piece of the puzzle.

Don't get me wrong....I like our chances to win the East again even without Sundin. But to make it to the finals and see Detroit across the ice, and have a good chance to beat them...that's another story. The Wings have no weaknesses...so can we really risk facing them with a glaring one?

None of our centers being big is a glaring weakness that makes the best team in the East have no realistic shot at winning the Cup??

Your size matters less than how you use what size you have. I bet Pierre Dagenais could get his 6'5 ass kicked by Bouillon. And even more importantly, why is so much more important to have a big centre as opposed to having a big RW? There is no difference at all. If anything, it is more important for your wingers to be big and physical. Your centers will usually be the playmakers (Plekanec, Koivu, Ribeiro, Datsyuk) while the wingers are the power forwards and gritty guys (Higgins, Latendresse, Pacioretty, Holmstrom).

This obsession with us needing a big centre if we want a chance of winning the cup is ridiculous. Sundin could help us, but on the list of reasons why the facts that he's big and plays centre ranking very close to the bottom, the combination even lower.

The team as it stands right now is one of the best in the league. That alone means that they have a realistic shot at the Cup. They would be underdogs if it came to playing Detroit in the finals but so would all the other 29 teams. Is Detroit the only team with a realistic shot at winning this year? And with Sundin we'd become elevated into a class that only the Red Wings could share with us. Were a player with the exact same capabilities as Sundin but a 5'11 RW joined our team, we would be raise up into that class just as surely.

Our depth on the wings makes a centre more of a priority to be sure but his height matters little more than the size of his dick and there are no rules to winning the Cup. There is no combination of players you need and no checklist of tasks a GM has to fulfil. The Wings just won it without a top 10 goalie. The Canes and Lightning won it with mediocre defence cores. It has now been won with a European captain. We have a team full of depth, full of talent and with a hundred good reasons to give everything they have to make sure this year's our year. We have the #1 offence in the league, ahead of even Detroit, before we added Tanguay and now with half a dozen improving young players. And what we sorely lack is that scoring centre?

It is the other GMs in the league saying, "###### this superstar business, let's do this like those mother######ing Habs!"

[sbhatt]

Having won the Cup this year so not being as hungry anymore is a weakness.

....you're kind of grasping at straws on that one, don't you think?

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Detroit is extremely impressive, yes. But let's not fall into the trap of thinking that what happened last season must necessarily happen this season. First of all, few teams win back to backs anymore. Secondly, injuries are always an X-factor. Lidstrom or someone like that could go down and make quite an impact. Thirdly, there are several excellent teams in the West, so it's not going to be easy no matter how good Detroit is. Finally, you say they have no weaknesses; I say their goaltending is poop on skates. When playing against a team with top-flight netminding, they have to be twice as good as the opposition to win. That's a tall order, and not likely to be sustained for two entire playoffs in a row.

Having said all that, the West does tend to be stronger than the East, so the Habs may well be in tough should they somehow manage to make the Finals - and I agree that Sundin could make the difference in those circumstances. So you're quite right in my opinion. I just wouldn't make a fetish out of the awesomeness of the Red Wings, that's all.

Edited August 17, 2008 by The Chicoutimi Cucumber

[SAKS-AVENUE]

Well the plot thickens and gets a little more grim for us Habs fans. If Sundin has "negligible interest" In coming to Toronto or Montreal and his first choices are apparently New York and Philly why would Sundin carry on on. Let Gainey know that it's not going to happen.

New York Post

[Tony]

Meh at this point, I'm really in a "I'd love to get Sundin but if he doesn't sign with the Habs, whatever" mood.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Well the plot thickens and gets a little more grim for us Habs fans. If Sundin has "negligible interest" In coming to Toronto or Montreal and his first choices are apparently New York and Philly why would Sundin carry on on. Let Gainey know that it's not going to happen.

New York Post

Well...I predicted somewhere around here that Sundin would sign with a team that's been floating under the radar of these Sundin sweepstakes; and that it would likely be one of those teams (e.g., Colorado, Dallas) that *for some reason* has a magentic appeal for free agents. Philadelphia is a picture prefect example of both. So what the hell, this is probably what will happen. :puke:

Edited August 17, 2008 by The Chicoutimi Cucumber