Written by Brian van Vliet - March 8, 2008
Congratulations to Mats Sundin for sticking to his guns and refusing to sign off on his no trade contract. I heard so many people ask “Why wouldn’t Mats want to leave Toronto for an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup?” The reason for that is, Mats is not a baby. He’s not one of these guys who thinks that because he played in the NHL for a long time that he should be entitled to ride the coat tails of a good team and get a Stanley Cup. Are you listening Ray Bourque? This armchair sportsfan can’t stand those guys. “Trade me to a team that has a chance to win. “ I respect a guy like Stevie Y in Detroit who hung in there dreadful year after dreadful year until he finally won a cup with Detroit. Who was to know he would walk away with three of them? How about Gilbert Perreault who played 17 years with the Buffalo Sabres and retired without ever winning a Cup and never asked to be traded to a “contender.” Well Matts Sundin is of that same mold. A true warrior.
This brings up another issue. That of the no trade contract. Who was the first brain deficient GM who ever agreed to such a ridiculous contract clause as that? Part of the intrigue of professional sports is to see what teams will deal which players to make their respective clubs stronger. Trade deadline meant that anyone could go anywhere. But now General Managers have to ask their star players if it’s Ok to move them. Could you imagine that in the real business world? Your boss comes up to you and asks you if it’s OK if he terminates your contract. You can either say “yes “or “no.” When a player signs with a club he becomes the property of that team. This armchair sportsfan believes that the team that is issuing the player his cheques has the right to do whatever they want with him. A player plays for “x” amount of dollars but if it’s going to benefit the club to move him somewhere else, the player should have no say in the matter.
Finally congratulations to the NHL for finally having a trade deadline that actually lived up to some of the build-up hype this annual event always gets. Names like Huet, Federov, Hossa, Richards and Campbell finding new homes made for a very interesting and exciting day. Too many times in the past, we had the Aki Bergs of the league headlining trade deadline day. Imagine how great the event would have been without the no trade contract that blocked so many potentially great moves.
What a backassward league the NHL has become.
Agree or disagree, I’m off the goalpost.
