Canucks & Beyond
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Mats Sundin Agrees to Terms with Canucks
by Alanah McGinley on 12/18/08 at 06:06 PM ET
Comments (22)
From TSN:
After six long months, the Mats Sundin saga is finally over as the unrestricted free agent has agreed to a contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
More later.
Update 3:12pm PT: From Canucks.com, comments from GM Mike Gillis and Mats Sundin:
“We are very excited to have Mats join the Vancouver Canucks,” said Mike Gillis, Vancouver Canucks General Manager. “Playing previously in two Canadian markets and consistently being among team and League leaders in scoring, Mats has proven that he can excel under pressure. He adds a wealth of experience, leadership and skill to the Canucks.”
“I am truly excited to be joining the Canucks,” said Sundin. “Once I made the decision to return to play a few weeks ago, the Vancouver opportunity was simply the best overall fit. I want to thank Mike Gillis and the entire Canucks organization for their professionalism throughout this entire process.”
Update 3:22pm PT: There’s no info yet whether this deal is just for the remainder of this year or includes next year as well, but there’s a press conference within the hour so I’ll post it by then at the latest. (That is unless Bob McKenzie at TSN does me proud and finds a source before that conference...) 
Update 3:28pm PT: According to ESPN --
“Barry and Canucks GM Mike Gillis were still working out the final financial details of the deal but it’s expected it will be worth somewhere around $10 milllion, pro-rated, for one season.”
Update 3:55pm PT: From the blog at The Province:
The deal is believed to be for the rest of this season, at $7 million
Updates being added below… anything and everything.
Dumb Stuff
Update 3:52pm PT: Killing time until the press conference, I found this moderately amusing. First, the story on Sundin in the National Post—published at The Center of the Universe, I do believe—appearing with this photo:
But roughly the same regurgitated Canucks press release in the Vancouver Sun, featured a slightly happier Mats:
Perhaps someone at the Post is bummed out while someone at the Sun is slightly giddy at the news?
Just a thought.
Back to News Updates
4:08pm PT: Dudes can be annoying, but you might want to dive into Team 1040.ca. All Sundin All The Time for the foreseeable future.
4:15pm PT: Listening to J.P. Barry on Sportsnet TV. Nothing much there but his contention that Mats in “game shape”—which seems unlikely, but I can believe he’s in good shape regardless.
4:17pm PT: Still waiting for the press conference to start. Meanwhile, Aftonbladet offers a Sundin slideshow, if you’re bored.
4:30pm PT: STILL waiting for the press conference to start (What are they doing down at GM Place? Sacrificing bunnies?) so I thought I’d share this from Empty Netters, who aren’t impressed:
We were sitting around the computer all day waiting for word on Sundin to come down and when we FINALLY decide to go out to Subway, he decides to make up his mind. What a jerk.
4:34pm PT: Sportsnet TV dudes are debating whether age 37 is really age 40. Or something like that. I’m getting the urge to run over someone.
4:37pm PT: The Mats Sundin Breaking News Timeline. Essentially, Twitter broke it. Nice job, although I would like to point out that the Canucks press release was issued 1 minute before Twitter…
4:40pm PT: Press conference is live. Screen shot is Canucks GM Mike Gillis taking some time to look smug.
4:45pm PT: Gillis subtly points out one of Sundin’s assets. If I may loosely translate:
“He’s lived in the spotlight of the Toronto media… he can certain deal with you as$#%holes.”
(Or something like that...)
4:58pm PT: There seemed to be a theme to all the questions at the press conference. Basically, that the Vancouver media hates (and who can blame them?) that they didn’t see this coming at all and they’re desperate to find some evidence that the decision was only made five minutes before the news broke.
I know I say it all the time, but this team is very good at keeping info from leaking till they leak it themselves.
5:00pm PT: Cutting away from the press conference, my TV immediately switched to an advertisement with the image of a kitten and the words “Alone and Terrified!” on the screen.
I hope that’s not an omen.
5:14pm PT: Sweet dreams, Canucks fans. And say bye-bye to the Canucks cap space breathing room we enjoyed for a while. But that’s okay—having barely a single dime left in the bank feels like everything is back to normal in our world.
And one final thought: I’m betting that Sundin looks pretty awful for a while, but he’ll improve fast. He’s in good shape. But that won’t stop everyone from suggesting he’s washed up while he’s getting back into game shape.
So just have patience—I expect he’ll be a factor in no time.
(And for $7 freakin’ million, he bloody well better be...!)
Filed in: vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Comments
OMG
WTF
OMG
OMG
OMG!!!!!!!
*bounce*
OK, so I’m bored at work and was quite shocked to see the headline… obviously, this move helps the Canucks a great deal and we can finally put Demitra back on the wing where he is most comfortable...then again, Sundin is Swedish....ewww
Posted by Jes Golbez on 12/18/08 at 06:19 PM ET
Its pretty funny that he signed just now, since i posted a blog on why i dont want him on our team like a hr ago. lol
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 12/18/08 at 06:39 PM ET
I am a bit surpised about the one year talk. Heck, Olympics in Vancouver in 2010, why not stick around Mats?
Of course, we won’t know the official terms until the Canucks release them soon.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 12/18/08 at 06:47 PM ET
Congratulations Alanah! I hope you are happy with this good news. Kinda like an early Christmas present.
Funny thing is, on NHL Live today all the talk was Mats signing with the Rangers. How they would find cap space, who was going be expendable if the Blue Shirts could pull it off.
Posted by Kate from Pa. on 12/18/08 at 06:54 PM ET
Guess it was all about the money after all. Should’ve signed in the fall then.
Posted by miah from portland, or on 12/18/08 at 07:09 PM ET
Should make for a much more interesting season for the Nucks.
I love it.
Posted by PuckHound61 from Speckville USA on 12/18/08 at 07:15 PM ET
I’m glad it’s a one-year deal. A two year would have handcuffed the Canucks badly for cap space if the cap stays or shrinks next year. I don’t think Gillis could have gone for two years at 10M. He’s paying as much as he can this year, and banking holding out to see what the cap will look like when time comes around. The long hold-out and potential motivational issues may be another reason to go with one year, although I think economics are probably the main factor.
Posted by rsm on 12/18/08 at 07:15 PM ET
Quite the news, and as Puckhound says, it makes the season a bit more interesting.
I just can’t help wishing this was happening with a healthy Luongo.
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 12/18/08 at 07:26 PM ET
CRAZY!!!!
Thank heavens its over.
Can’t believe he finally settled on Vancouver.
I had given up ANY chance he would sign here
(although it really didn’t make sense for him to sign anywhere else - financially, logistically, or otherwise) - I thought he’d retire if the Rangers couldn’t make it work.
--what do I know?
Where else could he sign without that team having to make HUGE moves to fit him in?
Basically, with the Canucks, he just walks into the room and AV & coaches get to play kids in a candy store with how they use him --
So, I assume he wears number 13 and there are no captaincy issues as this is STILL LOU’s team! (do you make Sundin an alternate captain?)
Posted by redbacon from kelowna, bc on 12/18/08 at 08:05 PM ET
A Canadian team finally scoops the Rangers out of a big signing. Gotta like it! If the Canucks can get Luongo back just as Sundin as getting in game shape they should be looking good for a strong playoff push.
Posted by Hockey Hermit on 12/18/08 at 09:17 PM ET
Paul, why sign a two year deal when you can play 4-5 months a year with no training camp for 7 mil instead of having to play 6-7 months for 10? Sundin has a free pass for probably his first 10-15 games anyway, so in reality he’s only playing about 40 meaningful regular season games plus whatever the Nucks get int he playoffs. For 7 freaking mil.
It’s not like there won’t be the same list of idiot teams lining up to wildly overpay for Sundin, so he’ll be able to cherry pick whichever team has the most cap-space after failing to get other FAs and do the same thing in 2010 too. 
Posted by HockeyinHD on 12/18/08 at 09:33 PM ET
let’s not get too excited… he’s a Summer Rental:
http://www.ianbell.com/2008/12/18/mats-sundin-summer-rental/
Posted by Ian A Bell from Bancoober on 12/18/08 at 10:15 PM ET
what a rip off. 7million to play for 4 months
is that even possible? isnt it abou thalf way through alreayd? i thought max was like 10 million. wow mats is a money grubbin whore
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 12/18/08 at 10:39 PM ET
The cherubic one is all tingly and the Wings fans are all, like, whatever. We’re done with the Canucks for the year. If Matty the Prima Donna works out, it simply means more losses for Western Conference teams. If he doesn’t work out, it means the Canucks wasted about $7 mil on a one-year rental.
The only thing that could make me happier is the Wings crushing the Sharks by a score of, oh, I don’t, let’s say 6-0. 
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 12/18/08 at 11:21 PM ET
The only thing that could make me happier is the Wings crushing the Sharks by a score of, oh, I don’t, let’s say 6-0
You’re right. That was almost as good as you guys beating the Evil Avs the other night…
Oh, wait. Whoops.
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 12/18/08 at 11:27 PM ET
so why is it 7 million? i jsut read on tsn its less
http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/darren_dreger/?id=260136
says here its ALMOST 5 MILLION.
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 12/18/08 at 11:34 PM ET
From that Dreger article:
Sundin signed in Vancouver because of the fit, the fact no player was forced out to make room for him, and the promise the Canucks intent on being a Stanley Cup contender doesn’t end with him.
If true, that is pretty generous thinking on Mats’ part, to make sure that no one gets dumped just because he wants to play.
Burnside’s article on the other hand is idiotic. He blathers on about Mats being falsely mythologized while belonging and participating in the very apparatus (hockey media) that produced that epic story. Messier is a much worse case, especially when Stevie Y is still leading and winning, not just carrying around fake Stanley Cups on tv ads.
Anyway, good luck with the season. Remember your mantra: Cautious optimism.
Posted by Osrt on 12/19/08 at 02:58 AM ET
You’re right. That was almost as good as you guys beating the Evil Avs the other night…
Now that’s just cruel.
The reality is the Sharks game came at exactly the right time. And so did the loss to the Dive. Babcock stopped messing with the lines and went back to what worked from Day 1 of this season. And I think Ozzie will be sitting for a while as well. The game against LA on Saturday will tell a lot about whether or not the Wings are finally beginning to take this season seriously.
Here’s looking forward to meeting you guys in the playoffs next spring.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 12/19/08 at 11:43 AM ET
Mats will earn $7 Million to do his Mark Messier imitation. 2008/09 version. Hey if governments can bail out banks, insurance companies and the auto industry while the rest of the world loses their jobs and end up living in “cardboard box in middle of road” why not!
Remember Mats leading (loose translation) his Leafs to several early tee times in recent memory. Literally the Golden Child. Ouch baby.....
Maybe Vancouver can pry Mike Keenan out of Calgary. They could have a ceremony where Iron Mike is lifted by a cherry picker to the ceiling of GM Place, where he unceremoniously rips Trevor Lindens sweater from the rafter and wipes his nose (censored version) with it.
Let the flaming begin. And by the way, yes I am jealous.
Brian Burke
Posted by Martin from Victoria, BC on 12/19/08 at 11:50 AM ET
So, I step away for a little 4 day break in Hong Kong...enjoy the ballet...grab some decent grub...and I come home to this.
So...if he signed a one year deal, does that mean he only plays until December of next year? I wish I could sit out a half year and then someone pay me top dollar to come back and only work for 1/2 the year.
Blech…
Posted by GZ Expat on 12/22/08 at 07:49 AM ET
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About Canucks & Beyond
Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003, sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen. In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast, as featured at Canucks.com.
She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
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Other Canucks Blogs
Holy Crap!
As a Canuck fan, I’m not so much happy that he joined the team, as just relieved this silly saga is finally over.
Posted by Shabbadoo on 12/18/08 at 06:15 PM ET