Down a goal with just two minutes remaining in the final period. The nervous energy is palpable in the crisp Air Canada Center air, as the fans inch closer to the edge of their seats. As the clock ticks closer to zero and the onlookers grow anxious, the same thought goes through the mind of everyone in the building; give him the puck.
It was no secret to anyone, and yet when the puck was in the possession of arguably the greatest Maple Leaf of all time, you just knew he was going to get the job done as he did so often. The expectation was there that when it came to crunch time, there was no one better than the captain.
Captain clutch. Mats Sundin.
That's how it used to be in Toronto, as the man who spent 11 seasons with the C on his chest (and 13 as a member of the team) etched his spot in Leaf history countless times on his way to legendary status on a team that has no shortage of hero's.
Now retired and living at his home in Sweden, Sundin no longer laces them up for the Leafs on a nightly basis as the leader of an entire city. He no longer can be counted on to score the game-tying or winning goal. He no longer can create lasti ...
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Article written by Jon Neely
More Than Just an Honour: Why Maple Leafs Need to Retire Mats Sundin’s Number
September 22nd, 2010 by Jon Neely Leave a reply »
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