Lidstrom tried to convince Sundin to come to Detroit during the 07/08 season. Sundin turned him down saying: "I only want to win in Toronto"

[GarlicbreadTB]

Lidström försökte värva Sundin till Detroit

Mats Sundin lyckades aldrig vinna Stanley Cup med Toronto Maple Leafs. Under hans sista säsong där försökte nära vännen Nicklas Lidström få honom till Detroit R

www.aftonbladet.se

From Sundin's latest book:

"In the beginning of february when we were about to play Detroit. My friend Nicklas Lidström who was the captain of the Wings told me he would've love me to be traded to their team. It had been something me and Nicklas had talked about privately before. Lidström had won 3 cups by then and had never missed the playoff in his 17 years in Detroit. He knew better than anyone what it took to win, he knew I could contribute so the Wings could win again".

"Lidström called me. And I told him: 'You know what Lidas, I don't want to win the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings. I wanna win with the Toronto Maple Leafs', I wanted to keep fighting there. Even if I had a smaller role in the team. You got a no-movement clause for a reason. When you've played for so long other things matter. I wouldn't want to skate that trophy around anywhere else and thinking it should've been in Toronto.

Click to read more...

 

[WarriorofTime]

Are there some people still mad that Sundin did that half year in Vancouver thing?

 

[Coffee]

Are there some people still mad that Sundin did that half year in Vancouver thing?

he’s an absolute legend and so are the Leafs fan in the building who cheering Sundin on

Classy

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Are there some people still mad that Sundin did that half year in Vancouver thing?

No. He is pretty much universally loved in Toronto. Really in hindsight the fact he got hate for actively wanting to finish his career in Toronto is ridiculous.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

Are there some people still mad that Sundin did that half year in Vancouver thing?

I'd assume the book talks about that. I wonder if Sundin confirms that he was rejected by the Leafs when Brian Burke showed up. Anyone who is still upset about that needs to get over it at this point.

No. He is pretty much universally loved in Toronto. Really in hindsight the fact he got hate for actively wanting to finish his career in Toronto is ridiculous.

People felt Sundin had a responsibility to accept a trade which was so very dumb

 

[LarKing]

It worked out well for both Swedes

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Matthews, Marner, Nylander, et cetera...take a lesson.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Bad decision

 

[NVious]

Are there some people still mad that Sundin did that half year in Vancouver thing?

If there was a few people mad at him, they are lower than scum, Mats deserved a cup, the team failed hard at getting him the help he needed. Tbh I wish he kept going until he got one, I was cheering him and the Canucks on, he gave everything to Toronto and then some.

To put it in perspective how good he was, in his first 53 playoff games he had 25 goals with guys like Berezin, Hoglund, Roberts. Meanwhile Matthews has all the talent in the world and in his first 55 playoff games he has 23 goals.

Mats is a God in Toronto (as one of our current players can attest to).

 

[kvladimir]

he’s an absolute legend and so are the Leafs fan in the building who cheering Sundin on

Classy

I miss those jerseys (Canucks', obviously)

 

[Chairman Maouth]

he’s an absolute legend and so are the Leafs fan in the building who cheering Sundin on

Classy

That was glorious.

 

[DitchMarner]

Are there some people still mad that Sundin did that half year in Vancouver thing?

Obviously I don't know for certain, but my feeling was that he really wanted to stay in TOR and to try to win there even though the team was in decline. After the '08 trade deadline passed, TOR went on a run and it looked like the vets were making a last-ditch effort to get into the playoffs. Ultimately, the bid fell short. I think the reason he didn't return was that the team wanted to go in a different direction, and he then chose to go to VAN to finish his career.

Sundin on that Wings team could have made the team that much more overpowering. He definitely would have won a Cup there. People can question his decision not to leave TOR, but you definitely can't say he was selfish or not interested in doing everything possible to help his team win.

 

[VanIslander]

Name 3 great players who ever went from Toronto to Detroit; name 3 great players who went from NY to Boston.

Some things never happen.

 

[Johnny Engine]

I'm not going to bore ya with the details, but that definitely has happened.

 

[DitchMarner]

Name 3 great players who ever went from Toronto to Detroit; name 3 great players who went from NY to Boston.

Some things never happen.

Ratelle, Leetch and Jagr?

 

[VanIslander]

Jagr in a Boston uni. Lol. I'd say that'd be a conversation piece.

 

[JackSlater]

Don't think he would have been a good fit.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Name 3 great players who ever went from Toronto to Detroit; name 3 great players who went from NY to Boston.

Some things never happen.

Ratelle, Leetch and Jagr?

mahovlich, salming, and of course the great allan bester

 

[Oddbob]

Lidström försökte värva Sundin till Detroit

Mats Sundin lyckades aldrig vinna Stanley Cup med Toronto Maple Leafs. Under hans sista säsong där försökte nära vännen Nicklas Lidström få honom till Detroit R

www.aftonbladet.se

From Sundin's latest book:

Kind of strange that he went to Vancouver where he could have potentially won other than Toronto.

 

[Sadekuuro]

mahovlich, salming, and of course the great allan bester

or perhaps Larry Murphy

 

[MadLuke]

Kind of strange that he went to Vancouver where he could have potentially won other than Toronto.

the fact he did not took that 2x10 millions to become the highest paid nhler (did not play at all for half the season and retired not so long after) do match the headspace too.

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

No. He is pretty much universally loved in Toronto. Really in hindsight the fact he got hate for actively wanting to finish his career in Toronto is ridiculous.

If there was a few people mad at him, they are lower than scum, Mats deserved a cup, the team failed hard at getting him the help he needed. Tbh I wish he kept going until he got one, I was cheering him and the Canucks on, he gave everything to Toronto and then some.

To put it in perspective how good he was, in his first 53 playoff games he had 25 goals with guys like Berezin, Hoglund, Roberts. Meanwhile Matthews has all the talent in the world and in his first 55 playoff games he has 23 goals.

Mats is a God in Toronto (as one of our current players can attest to).

Nobody was mad at him for leaving or refusing to be traded, people were annoyed that he gave the excuse of not wanting to be a deadline rental because he wanted to be part of the process october-to-june. Then halfway through the next season the Canucks shovelled a bucket of cash at him and he changed his mind.

Whether you like to hear it or not, that decision showed why he isnt a guy you win a cup with.