Sundin

He has to go to NY this weekend to fulfill an obligation to pokerstars.net. Poker Stars dot net signed Sundin back in September, back when people still cared about the sundin saga. i wonder if poker stars had to match Mike Gillis's offer of 20 million? He has been the most talked about person in the NHL since the start of the season from my persepctive and i think the Sundin sweepstakes is finally getting interesting again.

so he wants to narrow it down to 4 teams this week. they will likely be chicago, ny, van, TO, montreal and maybe San jose. I throw san jose in there because they are a team that should have won the cup many times in the past few years and will go to any lenghts necessary to throw themselves over the edge. But right now, every single possibility looks very unlikely. Ny probably is the most likely. But NY would be forced to trade gomez, drury, Roszival or Lundqvist. All 4 players are a huge part of the rangers roster with long term contracts and would be thrown away to make room for a rental player. Glen Sather might have a tough time explaining this one to the boys in the dressing room.

Then you've got chicago, who only has to trade Khabibulin. But nobody will take the mother fucker because he so over priced and shitty. The GM's want habby of 04 not habby of o'suck. getting rid of habby could be easier said then done. plus im not sure if sundin + chicago = certain cup.

I wouldn't count toronto out. brian burke has said hes not interested in sundin. but when brian burke says that it makes me uneasy. burke is a giant liar and i imagine he will at least offer a contract to the superstar considering he has so much cap space left.

van alread has the cap space. they are in a playoff position. but since lou's injury they have proven they are a one man team based around luongo. adding sundin would make them a 2 man team and i think they would still have a tough time beating san jose and detroit in the playoffs.

Sundin obviously doesn't care about the money because he makes enough money from pokerstars.net. He only wants to choose a team that can win a cup and pay him a respectable salary (in the 5-10 million range).

all i know, is that if sundin can stay healthy (which he wont be able to do), he will be able to bring his best game to the table come playoff time given the amount of rest his body has been able to take over the last 6 months.

-hark

Capology of Sundin

At the game in Los Angeles, Mike Gillis was sitting in the same press box as Mats Sundin. You can bet Gillis reminded Sundin that the 10 million dollar offer is still on the table. Sundin probably paid for Gillis's dinner, considering Sundin's raise in value since Mike Gillis calculated the number 10 on his TI-83.

Im not sure on sundin's expected salary, but if he doesn't choose Vancouver, he might be willing to take a paycut to play elsewhere. But it won't be very much of a paycut, because he does understand his own value. 8 million would be his minimum salary in my belief.

He probably wants a cup, moreso than money, so i would say his best bet is Montreal. Vancouver is developing to be a good team in a few years, but I'm not sure if our younger players can raise their gameplay very much for this years playoffs.

Here is my capalogical analysis:

Calgary- They have 2 million in cap space. If they trade Adrian Aucoin they will have 6 million in cap-space. That would be enough to have Sundin for 60% of the season. But they would still probably need a player making 3 millionish, to be placed on the LTIR. With Calgary's physical style of hockey, this is entirely possible.

Edmonton- has 3 million in cap space, but few players with big salaries that they could let go. I don't see any possibilities for Sundin in Edmonton.

Toronto-has 9.5 million in cap space. Quite easily could get Sundin.

Vancouver- Could easily get him with 8 million in cap space

Non Canadian chances

NYR- with only 2 million in cap space, and a solid core of team-mates (can't trade gomez or Drury each making 7 millionish), i don't see it possible that NYR could afford Sundin

Ottawa- 4 million in cap space and players like Mike Fisher (4 million), that would be worth dumping to get Mats. Its capalogically possible that Sundin could be a sen.

montreal-has 2 million in cap space, but would have to give up either Markov, Tanguay or Hamrlik to put a big enough dent in Sundin's hefty price tag. I don't think its capalogically possible.