"Seriously, do any of you guys know what he's fucking doing?"
Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey addressed the Mats Sundin saga/soap opera/sideshow/clusterfuck yesterday, and he's in the same boat as all of us, apparently:
"We haven't had much contact with him. It appears he's not interested. He hasn't asked many questions about the organization ... We haven't spoken to Sundin's camp for at least a week," he told RDS. "There's nothing new, he hasn't decided anything yet. He told me he'd decide in August and today's the 26th. We'll know, provided he respects his own due date, his decision should come sometime throughout the next week."
Gainey also stated he felt the Habs were the perfect team for Sundin at this point in his career. While that is debatable, the Canadiens certainly do offer an enticing blend of young talent, history, and a rabid fanbase, making them an attractive proposition for many players (idiot media, language police, taxes, and general crazy excluded.)
But frankly, this whole thing has gone on way too long. Is Mats Sundin really this conflicted? Is he selfish? Just fucking obtuse? He must know that by this point any decision he makes will be greeted more with a "fucking finally!" than anything else. Reports keep mentioning "five or six teams" whose current players, fans and management are all going to have quite the bone to pick with Mats if and when he decides on a destination. You don't think he'll hear it in Philly or New York or Montreal if he signs elsewhere? You don't think Leaf fans will brand him a Judas if he leaves Toronto for Montreal for free rather than for a boatload of picks and players? You don't think there will be some resentment even in the room he finally deigns to join after this whole act? At this point, I want Sundin to go somewhere else so I can boo his ass everytime I see him. How do you think the Canadiens feel? Fuck, Alex Tanguay can't even pick his jersey number just in case Sundin gets his fucking head on straight and makes a decision.
I'm sure it wasn't your intention to drag this out, Mats. I'm pretty sure you aren't a prima donna, but I'm stunned that this has gone on so long. But please, do SOMETHING. Go to the Rangers and be the man on Broadway. Take the no pressure way and go to the Leafs, where they might (might) forgive you and love you again. Sign with Detroit and blend into the background for a Cup. Retire. Whatever. I don't care anymore. Just stop fucking jerking Bob Gainey, the Habs, and their fans around.
