Its Up to Mats

Over the course of his NHL career, Mats Sundin has earned somewhere in excess of $68 million, a tidy fortune.

All but about $1 million of that has been paid by the Leafs. Now, a day after Sundin once again re-iterated that his goal is to win a Stanley Cup in Toronto, he has his chance to put his money where his mouth is.

First, note the difference from last year to this year. Last year, Sundin couldn't get out of town fast enough and left a lot of fans hanging as to his intentions and whether he wanted to remain a Leaf.

This year, he's said it all already. Wants to stay, happy as a Leaf.

The difference? Well, he's already got a deal in place, one that may be announced before the end of this week.

The exchange is straightforward. Sundin gives up the $5.3 million option on his deal for next year, one that carries a $6.3 million salary hit, and in return gets more money - something in the neighborhood of $5.8 million, probably - and gives the club a bit of a break on the cap.

If it is $5.8 million for each of two years, it's a $500,000 cap break per season.

But if Sundin is really serious about helping the team win the Cup, he could take a much bigger pay cut, and in so doing help the Leafs sign more quality players this summer.

In theory, he could agree to a deal paying him $1 million a year, thus freeing up more than $4 million for the club to spend on another player. A pretty good player.

He could take $2 million and free up more than $3 million for somebody else.

Or he can free up a piddly $500,000 that buys you nothing.

A large pay cut would be spectacular goodwill on Sundin's part, but not totally without precedent.

For example, last year Martin Brodeur signed a six-year deal with the Devils that pays him $5.2 million per season. Given his history, and given that Nikolai Khabibulin made $6.75 million this season, it's a nice deal for Jersey that gives them a bit of room to maneuver under the cap, about $1.5-2 million worth depending on how you assess Brodeur's market value.

In 2003, meanwhile, Paul Kariya absorbed the single largest pay cut in the NHL history when he agreed to a one-year, $1.2 million deal with Colorado after making $10 million the previous season with Anaheim. Kariya wanted to play with Teemu Selanne in Denver and there were only so many dollars available in the pre-cap era, and so he helped the Avalanche make it happen.

On Monday, Joe Sakic agreed to a one-year, $6.75 million deal with Colorado, which represents a $1.25 decrease in the cap hit he represents for next year (this year he made a salary of $5.75 million plus $2.25 million from an old deal for a total of $8 million).

So now the ball's in Sundin's corner.

How much does he want to help the Leafs, and how much does he want to pad his own already velvety nest?

If he really wants to win a Cup, the proof will be in the dollar figure on his new contract.

NOTE: A couple of readers have written to say that other players, like Bryan McCabe, should be the ones to take a pay cut or restructure their contract. Under the terms of the current CBA, that's not possible. McCabe, for example, can't re-do his deal to give the team more salary cap room, and neither can any other player with an existing contract. Sundin, on the other hand, is in that position if the team rips up the option year of his old contract.

Comments

[Brian]

Yes, but taking a pay cut is only worth while if you truely believe the team will go out and spend the money wisely. Toronto has done nothing since the strike to show that they will, and I think Mats would be NUTS to think other wise. Maybe trade the salary off, if there is some direct link to how the money gets spent. Tom Bradey took a smaller than market value salary in New England, only to see the players he tried to make room for get sold away anyway.

Today's professional sports market allows no room for team thinking when it's contract time. Us fans need to accept that.

[Geoff Read]

Dear Mr. Cox,

I always enjoy your columns... but don't you think it's a little unfair to expect Mats Sundin, in the twilight of his career, to sacrifice his final big payday? After all, it's not his fault that John Ferguson Jr. has wasted in excess of $10 million in cap space on Pavol Kubina and Bryan McCabe, and another 3 million or so on Andrew Raycroft. In essence, what you are suggesting is that Sundin pay for management's errors in the likely vain hope that the same management team will spend whatever cap room he frees up wisely and that this, in turn, will lead to a Stanley Cup parade on Yonge St. If I were Sundin I think I'd be taking my money and running.

[grant rankin]

Ya whatever he will try and get as much as he can,if it wasn't for his whining last year we wouldn't have signed Mcabe for 5 million .They stick together for the most part.

[Robert]

Damien, you sure are asking a lot of Mats. The examples shown are rather poor when you think about it. Give Mats a 6 year deal at $4M and perhaps he will take it. Mats should not bear the brunt of poor decisions by Leaf management. We all know, well all but the individuals who approved them, the mistakes that have been made since the end of the playoffs against Philly back in 2003. It started with Ed Belfour and has ended with Yanic Perrault, with a lot in between. Let's face it, a new GM is needed if only to not be tied to the moves that have already been made. Can JFJr really admit to poor decisions on Kubina and Raycroft (I was only upset with what they gave up for Raycroft)? I seriously doubt it and if he did he would be signing his ticket out. As such, it is not for Mats to put it all on his shoulders. That is asking way too much of a loyal employee and regardless should not be expected of any employee.

[Hakim]

How can you possibly think Sundin should take a pay cut and make less/on par money as Kubina?

Ferguson screwed up the leafs chances of winning anything soon by signing Kubina to a long term deal, the leafs only hope is that the salary cap keeps going up and lesser teams will once again not have the means to spend.

Why this article was not about the need to fire Ferguson, trade Kubina and Raycroft and instead focuses on perhaps the only decent offensive player left on the team and the need for him to take a pay cut. No one would take a paycut, not me, not you. So why should Sundin?

[Sanj]

Sorry Damien but u lost me on this one. I think Sundin is being very accommodating with the deal that is on the table right now. It's not Sundin's fault the JFJ has overpaid other players. Why doesn't Kubina or McCabe restructure their contracts for the good of the team?
Also as a total aside, I would support and hope Kaberle threatens to sit out unless he gets his contract redone so that he is paid more than McCabe and Kubina since he is Toronto's best defenceman.

[Jim Maron]

And how did that work out for Kariya. He gave up 8+ million and didn't come close to getting a cup. And, he's still paying for it finacially, because he so undercut his market value.

Is Marty Brodeur going to get his cup this year - doubt it. How about Sakic next year? Doubt that too.

Players who give up money for the good of the team aren't noble they are:

1) Stupid - because the paycut does very little to actually improve the odds of winning the thing.
2) Suckers - for felling guilty for playing the game by the same rules every one else does.

Why don't the owners give back 50% of their profits to charities of the players choice? Why doesn't management take a 50% cut and put those funds towards the team development areas where the cap doesn't restrict investment (minor league coaching, scouting, etc)?

Mr. Cox I really respect your thoughts on sports, but this has to be about the dumbest thing you've ever written.

[A.S.]

Quite frankly, there are worse ways the Leafs are misspending. McCabe is nowhere near being worth his $7M salary (I wonder whether we could have gotten Smyth or Luongo for him and someone else?), Ponikarovsky is useless when it matters (how many shootouts could he have done better in?), Raycroft is worth more like $1M instead of $1.8M, Peca isn't worth $2.5M, and since when is Gill worth $2M? The list goes on. It's a pity we probably can't even move McCabe because of his anvil of a salary.

That said, if Sundin takes a significant pay cut to help the team, I'll be impressed. It'll show he is a true leader, and it might just encourage others to do the same.

[colan mitchell]

No. It should be time for McCabe to step up to the plate and take a cut. That cut should be immediately given to Kaberle to make him the top paid defenceman. Kubina should be given a Marlies uniform thus saving that salary, and Sundin given what he has earned and deserves.

[Rigby Miller]

Sundin should not be asked to take a pay cut simply to free up cap space to hypothetically attract other free agent talent - we all know not to put too much faith in that aspect of management. The only reason that Sundin should accept a pay cut is if his output isn't consistent with what he's being paid.

It isn't.

Sundin is currently making a salary that's definitely at the highest end in the league, but he hasn't been anywhere close in output. Sundin finished 35th in scoring, with a disastarous 20 game goal slump when the Leafs needed goals the most.

So Mr. Cox, you are out of line for asking Sundin to take a pay cut for the good of the team, but he IS being paid more than he should be.

[Wade Tomlin]

How can Toronto sports media, Leaf fans, players and team management can, after not making the playoffs for two seasons, speak as if the Stanley Cup is somehow within the Leafs grasp?

Excuse me? Wasn't this team battling to the last minute just to make the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference? Is one or two new players really going to fix much?

No other sports franchise would be taken seriously if they declared themselves to be a potential championship contender after missing the playoffs for two seasons. No other fan base would think the edition of one or two players would turn a non-playoff team into a championship contender.

Time for the culture around the Leafs to face reality, Sundin has to go as his time has come and gone. He had a good run with some great seasons but keeping him around only prevents the Leafs from moving forward.

All the Leafs have to do is look across the Air Canada Centre to see a team who moved thier best player and quickly went on to better days.

[M C]

Much as we all love hockey it is a business and the idea that Sundin should donate (becasue that is what you are asking of him) money to MLSE is abusrd. Perhpas if their was a blizzard of genorsity from the suits at the top on down to forfeit significant personal wealth to build a winner then perhaps, in that dream world, your idea would make sense. Back on Bay St. MLSE has shown little committment to winning and even if Mats played for free the Leafs just are not that close to being an elite team to bother with such a move. In terms of your examples, Brodeur has clearly drunk the Lamirello cool aid and did not want to leave Jersey and Sakic wanted to play with his buddy -- both personal choices that may say something about them personally but not much about how to strategically build a winner. You can only build a winner by paying good people what they are worth (ie Mats) and not over paying for meodiocrity (Brian McCabe, come on down). The only person at MLSE who should be considering a pay cut is JFjr.

[Tom]

I think this would be a good thing for the leafs, but they have a history of bad offseasons. The buds shoulda kept rask, and signed manny legace he came off a hot season with detroit where he was among tops in the league. then they would still have two solid goaltending prospects. Yannic Pearault, waste of another talented young defencemen and a pick, considering he did absolutley nothing. Dump Kubina, he is horrible, Mccabe had a bad season. that is all

[Mobeen]

Dear Mr. Cox,

I agree with observations of other people on this board that, "Why should Sundin pay for management mistakes?"

Sundin is getting old and last season his statistics were not that great. Therefore he should only be paid for what he is worth. There can be a debate regarding his leadership skills and him being face of this franchise.

The fact of the matter is that there is something terribly wrong with maple Leaf management. This organization has developed a culture of loyalty and unfrotunately some fans have supported this too.

I think it is high time that this franchise hould start looking for statistics rather a player "playing with his heart on sleeve."

In my humble opinion we can not hold Sundin accountable until we give him good young solid players to play with.

[Jeff Lang-Weir]

The thing is that the NHLPA would not be pleased if he signed a below-market contract. You had better believe that there will be pressure from the union and from other players to sign for somewhere that is at least in the vicinity of his value.

[Fred Koeman]

If Sundin really wanted to win a cup he would have left Toronto years ago. The Leafs should do both themselves and Mats a favour and let him walk.

[Adam]

Who cares if the union wants him to sign somewhere in the vicinity of his value. Tucker took a paycut to stay with the Lightning and the Leafs, Kariya did the same albeit drastically. There are many examples of players forfeiting a bit of salary to make room for others.

While I don't think its reasonable, or wise for Sundin to take $1 million a year, I do think it would be an amazing, selfless act if he took something like $4 million. While Ferguson has overpaid for Kubina and McCabe, all of Leafs Nation was crying for him to resign McCabe last off-season, so he did. I'd like to thin Ferguson won't repeat his mistakes.

Sundin is always selfless when it comes to play on the ice. Think back to Saturday night's game against Montreal. Montreal had an empty net, and when Sundin got the puck, he passed it up to give a better shot at the net. It would be great to see that he also understands that money he waives will likely bring in a higher-calibre player.

Tucker solidified his spot in the minds of Leafs Nation as a "team player" when he agreed to his recent contract, which some say was $1-1.5 million less than what he could have gotten. Sundin should do the same.

[voislav]

I think that Damien completely missed the point. If Mats really cares about winning he's going to leave Toronto and take a pay cut with a contender. If he's only after money, he'll stay in Toronto, where Leafs will eventually cave in and give him a good deal. Leafs are not going to contend as long as they have half the payroll tied up in three defencemen, only one of which is giving them any value.

[Newton]

How about this: Sundin signs a 2 year deal for a total of 7 mill (3.5 mill per season average).

Upon retirement Sundin receives a 10 year $500,000 a year deal to be a Leafs scout/ambassador to Europe.

Of course the second deal couldn't be tied to the first with anything more than a wink...

[Tony Wiseman]

You're kidding, right? Take a $1,000,000 salary for all the suffering he has endured under this franchise's mismanagement. Signing the likes of McCabe and Kabina to those fat contracts is what is wrong...and you are asking Sundin to pay for that. Give me a break. Your're article is nothing but a slap in the face to a man who has served Toronto with his heart and soul all these years.

[Curt Purcell]

Paul Kariya took 1.2 mil not for altruistic reasons, but because at the time, that number was below the average NHL salary, thus making him eligible for unrestricted free-agency before the then-31 years of age restriction.

[Zac Kurylyk]

Not sure why previous comments have jumped on Hal Gill. He led the team in plus/minus this year, while the beloved Darcy Tucker was almost the worst. I like Tucker, his gutsy play is great, but if he plays on the powerplay and still has a bad plus-minus, I'd deal him.
I think the Leafs should keep Sundin if he'll come cheap. Furthermore, if I was Leaf's G.M., I'd move heaven and earth to find his replacement....Jarome Iginla? He wouldn't come cheap, might not come at all, but think how Leafs Nation would love a captain who fights and scores.....

[Robert Buckler]

If the Leafs sign Sundin for $1 million, the rest of the league is going to be screaming bloody murder at the Leafs for cheating the system. That is, if the Leafs could be legitimately expected to make decent moves.
I can see a small pay cut: $4 mil would be fair, $3 mil if he's feeling extra generous. Anything more and the Leafs would be scandalized. Not like they aren't already, but...

[Arish Delon]

Mr. Cox, Are you really trying to anger the hood-winked Leaf Fans? Let them dream of the Stanley Cup. It will never happen, long as Maple Leafs = Profit. MLSE has always iced an average talented team. They don't care if Leafs win a Stanley Cup, long as tickets are sold and make their annual targets.

Stanley Cup = 5 years of not making the play off, picking 1st/2nd in the draft, building supporting players, investing in scouts, coach & GM with a track record of developing and winning a Stanly Cup. The result is 5 years of no gate money & loss of profit will win you Stanly Cup. MLSE will never do this...Why would Sundin take a pay cut?

[Sam Louie]

If Sundin takes a huge paycut as you suggest and the Leafs are able to sign a few big names, it would be pointless unless that money was going towards a marquee goaltender. People are talking about Ryan Smyth, Jason Blake, Daniel Briere etc... those players aren't going to make a difference if Raycroft let's in 5 goals a game. You can have all the star forwards you want and still won't win.

The real issue this year wasn't scoring, it was goaltending. Raycroft isn't going anywhere. Sundin would be taking a paycut with that money being used for the wrong reasons.