Sundin ad nauseum

To the Media:  (Yes I know none are reading this)

Another day, another question from the media as to whether he will waive his No-Trade Clause. Another response from Sundin that says “No”. I’ve been keeping track this month because it seemed over the past few months that he was getting asked that practically daily. I was wrong, he’s only been asked that by twenty different people in the past 23 days (at least that have been oublished), though obviously many have asked multiple times.

This is getting annoying. Seriously an example of todays article:

“Sundin spoke to the media at Saturday’s morning skate and admitted that interim GM Cliff Fletcher had asked him to waive his clause, allowing the club to pursue a trade.

‘The Leafs gave me a chance to think about it and all that but as I said my position hasn’t changed since the start of the year.

”I have to do what feels right in my heart. I just don’t think I can go to another team if I don’t want to play for another team. That wouldn’t be right to myself. That’s how I feel”

So he’s firm in that he will not waive his NTC. What does the author then say?

“Sundin has only a few days to contemplate his future. The belief is the Leafs were hoping for a response from him on Friday. Instead, it may take the rest of the weekend for Sundin to make his decision.”
It may take the weekend for him to make his decision?  He just finished telling you he MADE his decision. A YEAR ago!  So instead you just keep asking him and pretend you haven’t heard the same answer every day for months?

Seriously, quit this. It’s aggravating incessant and ridiculous. We know he has trade value, we know the Leafs stink and we know dealing him for futures would help a rebuilding process. We also KNOW he will not under any conditions play elsewhere. End of discussion. He’s been adamantly firm on that thousand times over.
He probably has himself on tape recorder just to replay his words, their the same every time. He must have the patience of a god to put up with this, because it’s driving me insane just reading about it.
Every day, multiple times a day a new article pops up telling us the exact same thing. Ask Sundin, Sundin replies in the negative. We ignore that and say “Sundin hasn’t made a decision”. Ask next day, he made his decision long ago. It’s a no. Ignore it and say he hasn’t made his decision.

PLEASE STOP!
This is Toronto. I know you need to write a billion stories about even the tiniest incidents that may be even vaguely related to anyone that has even the slightest connection to the Leafs but for the love of god FIND SOMETHING NEW!

I can answer every single question Sundin will ever be asked over the next few months right now:
I will not waive my NTC, I will not play for any other team besides the Toronto Maple Leafs. I will retire a Leaf. I will resign here in the off season. I would rather play here then have the opportunity at a cup elswhere. I do not feel comfortable doing as Ray Bourque did.

How do I know that’s the answer? Easy, it’s copied verbatim from about 200 articles.

Whether Sundin is a wonderful guy whose loyalty is paramount and cares more for Toronto then the Cup itself, or he’s a heartless *beep* that’s staying here so he won’t have to work hard elsewhere on a cup run I really don’t care what the media thinks. Both have been said a billion times over.
Sundin is a god if he does waive his NTC, and the devil if he does it. He’s a god if he refuses to do so, and a devil if he refuses to do so. He’ll be crucified and worshipped by an equal number of people either way.
Pretty much all Leafs fans have their own opinion, as I do. None of us care what you think of his refusal to play elswhere.

Regardless, his heart is in Toronto and he’s clear that wherever Toronto goes he will be on the team. Be that to last in the NHL or first. He’s here. No where else, and that NTC ensures that he has final say.
What anyone else offers Toronto for him doesn’t matter, nor does Fletcher’s desires. Sundin holds all the cards. And he refuses to play elsewhere.

I’ll respect him regardless. If he goes at a deadline rent a player deal then I’ll love the prospects/picks coming back. If he refuses to then I’ll love his devotion to a dead team. But either way Sundin made his impact on Toronto long ago, and he’s hard pressed to significantly alter it positively or negatively now.