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Post by lapniappe on May 14, 2003 12:47:34 GMT -5
Mats Sundin won the World MVP last sunday.
Mats also got a second wind and rallied with Peter Forsberg to come back from a 5-1 deficit to win 6-5 against Finland.
Mats also had several glorious chances to put Canada away during the Sunday final.
Where was that Mats during the playoff run?
Is the ice surface? is it playing for your country? is it the linemates? what?
It really confuses me, and it confuses a lot of people that Mats doesn't step it up when it really matters in the playoffs. Mogliny was the force out there until he got hurt, Mogliny was our force last year too (Sundin before he got hurt had 1 goal and it was an empty netter). Sundin wasn't really all there in the New Jersey series two years ago either.
Forsberg shows up, Modano shows up, where is Sundin?
I like him, really I do, and I like the fact that he plays for our team. but when the going gets tough, it looks like the tough gets going, at least with Mats.
is the problem only lie with the fact that he has half a line mate with Mogliny? Or do y'all think it could be something else?
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Post by Gerard on May 14, 2003 14:18:26 GMT -5
Where was that Mats during the playoff run? I was thinkin' the same thing under my breath. You can play the 'line-mates' card all you want but it doesn't smell too good. BTW, didn't he say something about being mentally/physically tired after the Flyer series?? Hmm..... |
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Post by TOMGUNNER on May 14, 2003 15:12:38 GMT -5
As I've said for about 7 years now, Mats is in the top 5 in the world...when it comes to pure Offensive talent.
So why does he never finish in the top 5?
-Line mates. It's true....we all agree that until this year, he has NOT had a "true" #1 winger on his line. Even this year, he only had ALMO there for about 40 games. Unlike Mario, Jagr and a few others....Mats NEEDS 2 solid wingers! Having Renberg & Hoglund for 3 years is not fair to him! This is why I believe, that next season, Mats WILL finish in the top 5 scoring! IF the team, Mats and his line mates stay healthy, he'll have a career year. Of course, depending on who's coaching the team...... With the #1 line looking like this:
Mats
Almo
Nolan or Roberts
Now, IF they all play 70 plus games, I honestly believe, that Mats will have a great year.
The big ice suites Mats game MUCH better! EVERY international tournament, he is AMAZING. Was he not the best player at the Olympics? Until they got knocked out that is?! I believe so.
I am a BIG Mats fan, but....he does have a tendency to disappear at times. That however, has a lot to do with his line-mates.
It's hard to figure out the gentle Swede....all I know is, that he proves OVER and OVER again, that skill-wise, this guy is right up there with the best!
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Post by lapniappe on May 14, 2003 15:58:50 GMT -5
not really, Gunnie, because Sundin was playing with Hoglund and Renberg the year before last when he scored 42 goals, for top three in the league (tied with Guerin and that other boston player guy).
he can put the puck in the net when he wants to.
and yes, OM he did say something about being tired after the series, but was second in the tourney in points 1 behind our own Dany Heatley.
I just don't get out big swede.
Mogliny will probably be on the topline with Nolan with Antropov, so if renberg comes back it's Roberts with Sundin and Mogliny, and then Nolan Antropov Renberg, two very good lines
lines three would most likely be our grid line, of Fitzty Tucker and Green, and then Fourth Domi, Reichel and Player Replacing Corson...maybe Healey
Ponikorvsky should be playing, could even take Renberg's spot, and Healey could play too..
Tellqvist and Kidd will be fighting for that number two spot, behind Belfour
but again. Sundin has to step it up and lead this team.
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Post by TOMGUNNER on May 14, 2003 19:59:50 GMT -5
Lappi....you forgot Dougie Gilmour in your lines  ..how could U ;D YES, he scored 42 goals with the 2 fellow Swedes...BUT, he could have had more with at least 1, true #1 winger! ALSO, he could have had an extra 20-25 assist...due to Hogie missing the net all year! |
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Post by lapniappe on May 14, 2003 21:31:29 GMT -5
right...Gilmour
okay don't shoot me or anything lol but I don't think Gilmour is not what this team needs right now. and I don't think we should get all peppy over his he might come back
if he does, awesome, if he doesn't, that's okay.
if the team chalks Gilmour to be the premier signing of the summer, we are in BIG trouble
Gilmour should be for depth, and depth only.
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Post by TOMGUNNER on May 14, 2003 21:53:34 GMT -5
Oh no doubt...
However, if it means that Dougie replaces either Reichel or Hoglund up front....then we just improved our team!
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Post by Gerard on May 15, 2003 5:13:47 GMT -5
Oh no doubt... However, if it means that Dougie replaces either Reichel or Hoglund up front....then we just improved our team! Agreed. We've got to get up-grades and having Dougie 'in' instead of those (seemingly) life-long idiots would make good sense. I don't think anybody is expecting Dougie to become 1993 all over again but his presense/grit would be a huge improvement either way you slice it. Especially when you filter in the fact his despair at watching that series was a million degrees stronger than ours. He must have been devastated. |
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Post by freshwind on May 15, 2003 6:01:49 GMT -5
This year was a bad one for Mats all around. He was going at a good clip, clicking with Almo fairly well.
Then the shoulder. He came back from that and slowly was coming around, and then had the "never officially reported" ankle injury. I remember them showing him walkin in limping, and then his padded foot during the warmups.
Again, his skating appeared to be coming back when he took the puck in the chops. Major face surgery a few days before the playoffs had to sap a lot of strength from him. More surgery after they were knocked out. His initial reaction was he wasn't going to go over. Forsberg had to talk him into it. Then he had to have an MRI on his foot before the Leafs would clear him to go.
After the Finland game he told a Swedish newspaper that for the first time in a while his mouth AND foot didn't hurt during the game against Finland.
Sundin has a unique set of skills, and needs the "right" wingers to compliment that. I'm not sure if Roberts and Almo are the right 2. Mats likes to hit the blueline with speed and create a chance, Almo likes to carry the puck over the blueline and decide what he's going to do.
To me, Nolan is the winger for Mats. They hit the blueline with a bit of speed, Owen goes for the net, the d will have to hesitate that one second, and that is the point where Mats is dangerous.
Being a big man, he does not have a quick FIRST step, not many of them do, so why do we put him with players that play that sort of game?
Gee, who's our coach again, trying to ram that round peg into the square hole?
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Post by lapniappe on May 15, 2003 8:13:21 GMT -5
oh i know I know
can I buy an U for STUPID and QUINN?!
see Nolan is going to be a tricksy person to place
Place him with Mats, who plays the similar game, or place him with Antropov who played awesome with him.
I know I said Mogliny on the top line, but then Quinn never did like having a superiour line, so maybe again like before, Sunding/Mogliny playing PK/PP and Mogliny Antropov ?? playing together.
on Quinn's shopping list this summer, wants to or not, there better be a superiour (or at least a decent) winger for Mats.
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Post by TOMGUNNER on May 15, 2003 9:34:43 GMT -5
Well, on Q's shopping list, there better be at least 2 D-men.....as well as another D-men arriving via trade!
There's not a lot of UFF agents out there. Remember, I doubt a lot of "big" cash will be thrown around.
One guy I do like is:
Todd Marchant!
We need HIM. He won't score 50 goals, but our lack of speed is what hurt us...this season. Todd can fly! Also, he may cost a fair amount of money, but I think he could be had for about 4 million per year? With Corsen leaving behind close to that, we should make a serious run at Todd!
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Post by Leafs_Pam on May 15, 2003 10:10:11 GMT -5
One guy I do like is: Todd Marchant! We need HIM. He won't score 50 goals, but our lack of speed is what hurt us...this season. Todd can fly! Also, he may cost a fair amount of money, but I think he could be had for about 4 million per year? With Corsen leaving behind close to that, we should make a serious run at Todd! I've always liked Todd Marchant. He would be a great addition. Do you really think he will leave the Oilers? If he does, I doubt Quinn will even try to get him. Quinn will probably go for another project player instead. |
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Post by lapniappe on May 15, 2003 10:18:38 GMT -5
what i've noticed, (since we're on the topic of European players) there is a lot of players who are not coming back next year because of the impending CBA strike Forsberg is thinking of playing in sweden, ditto with all our Leaf players, and now a couple of NYI players (Jonsson in particular) is thinking of going back there too. it's going to be a AHL looking NHL next year for sure with marchant, that would be amazing if we get him  |
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..how could U ;D
