The Sundin Sweepstakes

So every hockey fan by now knows about the Sundin Sweepstakes because he is really the last high end free agent left out there and it doesn't hurt that every media outlet has been covering the story since way before Christmas aka trade deadline day. Its been almost 3 months and Sundin has yet to announce what could be his final destination and shot at the cup. rumours have been everything about the apparent 6 teams interested in his services. They are in no specific order,

New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadians
Vancouver Canucks
Detroit Red Wings
Philadelphia Flyers

So who will land Mats? Well as of two days ago according to Sundin's agent J.P Barry it's down to and has only been about two teams. That doesn't tell us much really. Most Media sources seem to believe it's between the Canucks and the Habs. However it was recently revealed it's between the Leafs and another team. So who is that other team? Well what does Mats want? He clearly wants to win a Stanley Cup that is for sure. A lot of pundits say he wants a final pay day but I'm not so sure about that as Sundin who had jumped all over that 20 mil deal from the Canucks. But saying that he's not going to settle for peanuts ether. The last stipulation is that Mats most likely only wants a 1 year deal. If it's taken him this long to decide then he's obviously leaning towards retirement because doing this as a strategy doesn't pay off when all the teams interested bail and your stuck with nothing.

I highly doubt the Red Wings can afford Mats unless Lidstrom and co. can convince Mats to play for a bottom end contract. Although he would get his cup, the payout wouldn't be that great or even of half his worth for a year. Count them out in my opinion.

Now the Flyers have even said there are not interested in Mats so that is a pretty big clue to whether or not he is going to sign there. Besides I think Forsberg is there Swede...

On to Vancouver, I really do believe they had a big shot but I think the Pavel Demtra signing was an indication that they were on the outs. I really don't think they have the talent or made an significant moves to put them in a contenders spot yet. Mats is a smart man and I'm sure he knows that they may have money but they don't have the odds hes looking for. Also he wants a one year deal and there dangling a 2. Why get trapped there?

So that leaves two besides Toronto. The Rangers already have two top centres in there organization. Gomez is being paid a ridiculous amount and could be targeted for a trade which I have heard rumours off. But right now who is really able to accept a trade going into training camp? While the Rangers are a cup contender in my mind, they are pretty close to the cap and still have to re-sign Shannahan which will happen by the way. All in all I don't see him ending up in New York without a deal to send Gomez elsewhere.

Montreal is my personal pick of the lot including Toronto. Sundin also met with Gainey this weekend as well as Fletcher in Toronto so that might be a tip-off. Why else? Because they will be a contender even more so with the summer additions. They can offer him the money hes asking plus they only want a 1 year deal out of him anyways. The 100th anniversary is the perfect year to win a cup. Not only is it close to Toronto it's almost the same kind of media-frenzy atmosphere that is second to none. Toronto is no where near a cup and although they do have the money Mats also left on bad terms remember. They tried to force him out via a trade and he end up refusing to waive the no-trade clause. Toronto isn't the answer, it's more like the last option for Mats. He's played there, they'll take him no matter how late this drags on and it was his home. His new home shortly will be Montreal.