Sundin’s game and tongue get saltier with age
Team unconcerned by captain’s outbursts, saying it shows his competitive fire
TIM WHARNSBY
HOCKEY REPORTER
Mats Sundin certainly hasn’t mellowed with age.
The Toronto Maple Leafs captain, who turns 36 on Tuesday, has displayed an unprecedented amount of fervour in his play and postgame comments during the past month. Maybe the threat of missing the playoffs for the second year in a row and sixth time in his 16-season National Hockey League career has his furnace stoked to a new high.
After taking a whopping 10 shots and setting up linemate Alexei Ponikarovsky for the Leafs’ first goal in their 4-2 loss against the Nashville Predators on the road Thursday, Sundin allowed an f-bomb to slip into his postgame remarks for the second time in less than a month.
He was upset with a roughing penalty handed out to him that put the Leafs down two men and led to Steve Sullivan scoring the go-ahead goal for the Predators. Sundin’s first profanity with cameras and tape recorders rolling was uttered in his defence of Toronto goaltender Andrew Raycroft after a 6-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 13.
“It’s a competitive game and there is emotion involved,” Maple Leafs general manager John Ferguson said, when asked if his captain’s potty mouth bothered him.
“He is as classy a role model as this league has had, whether you’re talking about Steve Yzerman and Wayne Gretzky. Mats carries himself day-in and day-out so well in a spotlight in Toronto that has quite a glare.”
The Leafs, who take on Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Air Canada Centre tonight, have reeled off five wins in six games since the NHL all-star game break to climb to ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Sundin has registered a point in each of those matches with three goals and seven points.
His play is reminiscent of how well he performed when he returned last season after his gold-medal effort at the Olympics in Turin.
Sundin scored 37 points in 25 games after the 2006 Games, second only to San Jose Sharks centre Joe Thornton, who checked in with 44 points in 26 games. The Leafs captain has 21 goals and 49 points through 48 games this season.
“In my experience here he’s played like that and been that leader on and off the ice,” Ferguson said. “It’s good to see that type of energy, fire and passion. It’s a leadership by example. It’s good to see the lead dog leading.”
Ferguson has no designs on trading Sundin, who would have to give permission to be dealt because he has a no-trade clause in his contract.
Instead, all indications are Sundin will return for at least one more season in Toronto.
It is believed that if the Maple Leafs can’t sign him to a three-year extension worth in the neighbourhood of $5.75-million (all figures U.S.) a season, then they definitely will pick up the $5.32-million club option.
“We had some discussions going back quite some time ago,” Ferguson said. “We don’t anticipate any problems and when the timing is right we’ll get down to business.”
Meanwhile, Ferguson acknowledged he received another contract proposal from forward Darcy Tucker’s agent on Thursday. It’s no secret Tucker is seeking a long-term, no-movement deal. While both sides are optimistic an agreement can be worked out, there still is some haggling to be done.
The 31-year-old Tucker, who has missed 16 games with a hairline fracture in his left foot, had his hard cast replaced with a soft one. But he is still expected to miss another six matches.
Second-year forward Alex Steen suffered no ill effects from a knee-on-knee collision with Scottie Upshall of the Predators on Thursday, and is expected to play for the Leafs tonight.
