NEW YORK (Dec. 7) -- The notion of the Maple Leafs asking Mats Sundin to waive his no-trade clause -- though it remains a potentially shrewd business move if the club falls out of playoff contention -- seems rather absurd this week, with the Leafs riding an impressive four-game win streak. From a personal standpoint, the notion of Sundin leaving is always a bit difficult to advocate, because he's such a terrific individual. I hope I've conveyed that misgiving in the columns I've written suggesting that the Maple Leafs might need to make a tough decision one day in order to bolster their future.
I got another first-hand example of Sundin's immense character after the Leafs' 6-2 romp over the New York Rangers here Thursday night. He and I walked out of Madison Square Garden together -- down a long, winding ramp from the dressing room corridor to the area outside the arena where the team bus was parked. We had a nice chat about the Leafs' dramatic turnaround in the past 10 days, and Mats insisted I pass along his best wishes to my son, Shane, who turned 11 yesterday. But, it was at ground level, outside the Garden, where Sundin again showed what he's made of.
A group of 20 or 25 Leaf fans, standing behind a steel fence on the 33rd St. sidewalk, called for the captain to come over and sign some autographs. I could fill this entire column with the names of athletes who might have waved to the small gathering, but would more than likely have ignored the group altogether. Sundin, however, casually sauntered over to the fence and signed every piece of paper thrust in his direction. He did so with a smile, and with the type of gentlesness and humility that has made him one of the most dignified players to ever wear a Leafs' jersey. It may sound like a small gesture for a multi-millionaire sports figure to walk 30 feet towards fans calling his name, but believe me, it is not something that many would do. Then again, Mats Sundin should never be clumped into a group of today's most typical athletes. He has so many of them beaten by miles.
**************************************
This has not been the highlight week of my career, as anyone familiar with me would know after the fallout from the Sean Avery incident at the Air Canada Centre, Nov. 10th. In almost 20 years of work at The Fan-590, I've never had to voice a legal retraction on the air like I did last Monday and Tuesday, simply because I've never even been threatened with a lawsuit, let alone served legal papers. I haven't said much about the situation -- the retraction spoke for itself. But, there are things I simply cannot talk about right now, for obvious reasons. They will be heard one day, when the time is right.
I do want to say, however, how touched I've been by the support that has come my way -- from people in and out of the media fraternity. This really isn't rocket science. The people who don't care about you in normal circumstances continue not to care in times like this. That's neither a surprise, nor a concern. But, I am so pleasantly astonished by the number of true friends I have in this business -- both media colleagues and those directly involved with hockey. They have made themselves known in the past 10 days; they know who they are, and I'll always be grateful for their kinship in this trying circumstance.
**************************************
The NHL's more balanced schedule starting next season will feature three so-called "wild card" games for each team -- required to fill out the 82-game slate. These matches should be, technically, played between Eastern and Western Conference teams, and the league has made a wise decision in not permitting the individual clubs to determine the match-ups. Why? It's obvious. If it were left to the owners and GMs, teams like New Jersey, Boston and Philadelphia would surely vote to play one another, thereby reducing travel costs, but clearly undermining the spirit of the new arrangement. It's the primary reason why the current, post-lockout schedule has been allowed to endure for three seasons. The powerful executives in the northeast were able to twist enough arms to keep the unbalanced slate in order. Bussing between Newark and Philadelphia eight times a season is more economically palatable than having to fly to the Mountain or Pacific time zones.
That inequity has gone the way of the dodo bird, and it will be interesting to see how the NHL works the wild-card games. The Maple Leafs are obviously in cahoots with Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver to play a home-and-home series each season -- pretty much a no-brainer when it comes to the new format. But, the league will have to approve. We can imagine that not all 30 teams will be satisfied.
**************************************
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has long been criticized -- primarly by fans and media in Canada -- for not appreciating the history of the game. Often, it's been an unfair rap, but perception has rarely been in Bettman's corner. And, we all know that perception is reality. Here's a simple idea that might work for the commissioner, and would likely be embraced by fans that have a sense of the game's heritage:
With the new schedule coming out, why not set aside opening night solely for the pre-expansion or "Original Six" teams? Limit the opening-night line-up to three games -- involving Toronto, Montreal, Detroit, the Rangers, Chicago and Boston. And, do it every year. The match-ups could be alternated among the teams... at home and on the road. It would be a unique formula the NHL could call its own, and it might better reflect the rich history and tradition of the professional game.
E-mail
[email protected] 
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»