Mats Sundin
Mats Sundin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hockey Hall of Fame, 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Bromma, Sweden | 13 February 1971||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 240 lb (109 kg; 17 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shot | Right | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Played for |
Djurgårdens IF Quebec Nordiques Toronto Maple Leafs Vancouver Canucks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National team | Sweden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NHL draft |
1st overall, 1989 Quebec Nordiques | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 1989–2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
|
Mats Johan Sundin (Swedish pronunciation:
Excluding his rookie season, the shortened
Internationally, Sundin won three gold medals with Sweden at the World Championships and was the team captain for Sweden's gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
Sundin was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on 26 June 2012, in his first year of eligibility. He became the second Swede, following Börje Salming (another long-time Maple Leafs player), to be chosen to the Hall of Fame. Sundin was also inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2013.[2] In 2017 Sundin was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.[3]
Playing career
Quebec Nordiques
Sundin was drafted by the
Sundin made his NHL debut with Quebec during the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs acquired Sundin in a trade on 28 June 1994. The Nordiques sent Sundin,
In his third season with the Maple Leafs, Sundin recorded a 41-goal, 94-point season, the second-highest of his career and the most prolific during his tenure in Toronto. With the departure of team captain Doug Gilmour to the New Jersey Devils during the 1996–97 season, Sundin was named Gilmour's successor, becoming the 16th Maple Leafs captain and first European captain in team history.[9]
After an 83-point campaign in 1998–99, Sundin led the Maple Leafs into the 1999 Stanley Cup playoffs as the fourth seed in Eastern Conference. Bolstered by the acquisitions of forward Steve Thomas and goaltender Curtis Joseph in the previous off-season, the Leafs made it to the Conference Finals against the seventh-seeded Buffalo Sabres, but were defeated in five games. Sundin finished with a career-playoff-high 16 points in 17 playoff contests. In 2002, Sundin signed a six-year contract extension with Toronto for $52.5 million.[10] Sundin made another appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Maple Leafs again in 2001–02, but lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games.
In 2002–03, after eight consecutive years as the Maple Leafs' leading scorer in the regular season, Sundin was succeeded by Alexander Mogilny, who topped Sundin's 72 points with 79. The following season, Mogilny suffered a serious hip injury that required him to miss 12 weeks, allowing Sundin to reclaim his spot as top scorer for the Maple Leafs that season.
During the 2003–04 campaign, however, Sundin was the subject of League controversy with his infamous stick-throwing incident on 8 January 2004, against the Nashville Predators. Breaking his stick on an attempted shot, Sundin threw it aside in disgust. Instead of hitting the glass, the stick inadvertently entered the crowd. Deemed a reckless act by the NHL, Sundin was subsequently assigned a one-game suspension.[11] After the game, as an apology, he gave a brand new autographed stick to the fan that had caught the broken stick.
As a result of the ensuing
Near the beginning of the 2006–07 season, Sundin became just the 35th player in NHL history to reach the 500-goal mark.[13] He achieved the milestone on 14 October 2006, with a hat-trick effort against Miikka Kiprusoff of the Calgary Flames. He scored the 500th goal with his third mark of the game, shorthanded, over Kiprusoff's blocker in overtime to defeat the Flames 5–4.[14] Later in the season, on 20 March 2007, Sundin reached 900 points as a Maple Leaf with a two-assist effort in a 2–1 win against the New Jersey Devils.[15]
The following season, in 2007–08, Sundin began approaching several team records as a Maple Leaf. In the second game of the season, on 4 October 2007, against the Ottawa Senators, Sundin scored his 389th goal with the club, tying Darryl Sittler's team record.[16] In Toronto's fifth game of the season, on 11 October, versus the New York Islanders, Sundin scored his 917th point as a Maple Leaf, breaking Sittler's franchise all-time record. In the same game, he also scored his 390th goal in the third period, taking sole possession of the all-time goal-scoring lead.[17] At the end of the game, he was ceremoniously elected the first, second and third star of the game.[18] On 27 November, in a game against the Montreal Canadiens, Sundin became the first player to score 400 goals as a Leaf. Several days later, on 1 December, in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he broke Babe Dye's 83-year-old Toronto record when he extended his home game point streak to 15 games.[19]
With the Leafs falling out of playoff contention once more towards the end of the season and Sundin's contract set to expire, Sundin was the focus of numerous trade rumors as the
Vancouver Canucks
Sundin became a free agent on 1 July 2008, although the Maple Leafs had previously given the Montreal Canadiens special rights to negotiate with him until then.[21] On the day of free agency, newly appointed Vancouver Canucks General Manager Mike Gillis offered Sundin a lucrative two-year, $20 million contract which, if signed, would have made him the highest paid player in the NHL. Attempting to entice him to sign with the Canucks, numerous Vancouver businesses extended Swedish-centred special offers, such as a Volvo and IKEA products.[22] The New York Rangers, Canadiens and Leafs also made contract offers; however, Sundin chose to hold out for the beginning of the season, contemplating retirement. After announcing that he would, in fact, return to the NHL and sign with a team, he narrowed his prospects down to the Rangers and Canucks.[23] On 18 December 2008 the Canucks announced that Sundin had signed with the club to a one-year, $8.6 million contract. Pro-rated for the remainder of the season, Sundin's salary worked out to $5 million. Taking a $1.4 million pay cut from the Canucks' original yearly offer, Sundin reportedly decreased his contract willingly in order to give the Canucks added salary cap space to potentially bolster their lineup before the end of the season.[24]
Sundin made his Canucks debut on 7 January 2009, in a 4–2 victory over the
Retirement
On 30 September 2009, Sundin announced his retirement at a press conference in Stockholm.[32]
Sundin was honoured on 29 October 2011, more than two years after his retirement, at a Toronto Maple Leafs home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. His number 13 jersey was honoured by the organization in a ceremony prior to a home game against the Montreal Canadiens on 11 February 2012.[33][34][35]
On 12 November 2012, Sundin was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame alongside Joe Sakic, Adam Oates and Pavel Bure.[36] In November 2013, Sundin was named as an inductee into the IIHF Hall of Fame, alongside Peter Forsberg, Danielle Goyette, Paul Henderson, Teppo Numminen.[37]
On 10 September 2015, it was announced that Mats Sundin would be added to "Legends Row", a statue outside the
On 15 October 2016, Sundin's number 13 jersey was officially retired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a ceremony prior to their centenary season home opening game against Boston. A few months later, Sundin was named one of the 100 greatest players in league history by the NHL itself.[39]
International play
Sundin represented
A picture of his "fighting face" when Sweden turned a 5–1 deficit into a 6–5 win over Finland during a World Championship game has become iconic.[40] Sundin was the captain of the Swedish national team in the 2006 Winter Olympics, leading them to a gold medal with a 3–2 victory over Finland in the final.
Sundin played for Sweden in:
- 1989 European Junior Championships
- 1990 European Junior Championships
- 1990 World Junior Championships (silver medal)
- 1991 Canada Cup
- 1991 World Championships (gold medal)
- 1992 World Championships (gold medal)
- 1994 World Championships (bronze medal)
- 1996 World Cup of Hockey
- 1998 World Championships (gold medal)
- 1998 Winter Olympics
- 2001 World Championships
- 2002 Winter Olympics
- 2003 World Championships (silver medal)
- 2004 World Cup of Hockey
- 2006 Winter Olympics (gold medal)
Personal life
The City of
In September 2008, Sundin announced an endorsement deal with PokerStars. He plays under the username "MatsSundin" and will donate any earnings to charity.[45]
On 29 August 2009, Sundin married fiancée Josephine Johansson. The guest list exceeded 200 people and included several current and former teammates.[46] He and Josephine are the parents of daughter Bonnie, and two sons, Nathanael and Julian.
Sundin was also a Goodwill Ambassador for the Adopt-A-Minefield Campaign; an organization that raises awareness and funds to end the human and economic suffering caused by anti-personnel landmines.[47]
Sundin was a partner in a Standardbred harness racing horse named Rotation, which in 2003 won the prestigious Maple Leaf Trot at Mohawk Racetrack.
Records
NHL
- Tied-23rd in career goals (564, shared with Joe Nieuwendyk)
- 35th in career assists (785)
- 28th all-time in career points (1,349)
- First European-born and trained player to be drafted first overall in the 1989 by the Quebec Nordiques)
- Only Swedish player to reach the 500 goal milestone (564)
- Most career points and goals by a Swedish hockey player
- Tied fastest overtime goal (6 seconds, shared with Alexander Ovechkin, Simon Gagné, David Legwand and William Nylander)
- First Swedish player to reach 1,000 points
- One of three players (Marcel Dionne, Jaromír Jágr) to record at least 20 goals in each of his first 17 NHL seasons
Toronto Maple Leafs
- Goals (420)
- Assists by a forward (567)
- Points (987)
- Assists in a period (3, tied with Morgan Rielly, Darcy Tucker, Matt Stajan and Clarke MacArthur)
Awards and achievements
- TV-pucken Champion as part of Team Stockholm 1986.
- Swedish Champion in 1990.
- First European-born player to be drafted first overall in the 1989)
- Named to the Elitserien World All-Star Team in 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 2002.
- Recipient of the Viking Award in 1993, 1994, 1997 and 2002.
- Named to the 2003.
- World Championships' Best Forward in 1992 and 2003.
- Named to the Canada Cup All-Star Team in 1991.
- Named to the World Cup of Hockey All-Star Team in 1996.
- Played in the 2004.
- Named to the .
- Named to the Olympic Tournament All-Star Team in 2002.
- Captain of the Swedish national ice hockey team in the 2006 Olympics in which Sweden won the gold medal.
- Achieved 500 goal plateau on 14 October 2006, with a short-handed, hat trick, overtime winner.
- Achieved 1,300 points on 7 February 2008 against the Montreal Canadiens.
- Awarded the "Mark Messier Leadership Award" in 2008.
- Enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in the class of 2012, his first year of eligibility.
- Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2013.[48][49]
- Number (13) Retired by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Named one of the 100 Greatest Players in league history by the NHL.[39]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season
|
Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1988–89 | Nacka HK | SWE-2 | 25 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1989–90 | Djurgårdens IF | SEL | 34 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 4 | |||
1990–91 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 80 | 23 | 36 | 59 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1991–92 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 80 | 33 | 43 | 76 | 103 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1992–93 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 80 | 47 | 67 | 114 | 96 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
1993–94 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 84 | 32 | 53 | 85 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1994–95 | Djurgårdens IF | SEL | 12 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1994–95 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 47 | 23 | 24 | 47 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 | ||
1995–96 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 76 | 33 | 50 | 83 | 46 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | ||
1996–97 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 41 | 53 | 94 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1997–98 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 33 | 41 | 74 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1998–99 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 31 | 52 | 83 | 58 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 16 | ||
1999–00
|
Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 73 | 32 | 41 | 73 | 46 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | ||
2000–01 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 28 | 46 | 74 | 76 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 14 | ||
2001–02 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 82 | 41 | 39 | 80 | 94 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | ||
2002–03 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 75 | 37 | 35 | 72 | 58 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||
2003–04 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 81 | 31 | 44 | 75 | 52 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | ||
2005–06 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 70 | 31 | 47 | 78 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2006–07 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 75 | 27 | 49 | 76 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2007–08 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 74 | 32 | 46 | 78 | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2008–09 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 41 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 28 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 | ||
NHL totals | 1,346 | 564 | 785 | 1,349 | 1,093 | 91 | 38 | 44 | 82 | 74 |
International
Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1989 | Sweden | EJC | 6 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 8 | |
1990 | Sweden | EJC | 6 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 14 | |
1990 | Sweden | WJC | 7 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 6 | |
1990 | Sweden | WC | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1991 | Sweden | WC | 10 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 12 | |
1991 | Sweden | CC | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 16 | |
1992 | Sweden | WC | 8 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | |
1994 | Sweden | WC | 8 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 4 | |
1996 | Sweden | WCH | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | |
1998 | Sweden | OLY | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | |
1998 | Sweden | WC | 10 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 6 | |
2001 | Sweden | WC | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
2002 | Sweden | OLY | 4 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 10 | |
2003 | Sweden | WC | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 10 | |
2004 | Sweden | WCH | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | |
2006 | Sweden | OLY | 8 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4 | |
Junior totals | 19 | 16 | 8 | 24 | 26 | |||
Senior totals | 79 | 43 | 51 | 94 | 80 |
See also
- List of Swedes in sports
- List of NHL players with 500 goals
- List of NHL players with 1000 points
- List of NHL players with 1000 games played
- List of NHL players with 100 point seasons
- List of NHL statistical leaders
- List of players with five or more goals in an NHL game
References
- ^ a b c d "Sundin's extended bio". The Province. 18 December 2008. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ "IIHF HoF 2013". IIHF. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ "100 Greatest NHL Players". NHL.com. 27 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
- ^ "Mats Sundin - Legends of Hockey". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ "NHL.com Players - Mats Sundin". NHL.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2007. Retrieved 28 November 2006.
- ISBN 978-91-977326-1-1.
- ^ "1990-91 Quebec Nordiques [NHL]". HockeyDb.com. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ "Skater Records - Longest Point Streaks, Season". NHL. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Sundin, Mats". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum. 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
- ^ Sports, CBC. "Leafs sign Sundin long-term". CBC Sports. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Sundin heaved broken stick into stands". ESPN. 7 January 2004. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ "Sundin to visit eye specialist". CBC. 31 October 2005. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ "Sundin joins NHL's 500 club". BBC News. 15 October 2006. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ "No. 500 makes Leafs fans stand up and cheer for their captain". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 16 October 2006. Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ "Victory the revenge as Leafs edge Devils". TSN. 20 March 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- CBC. 4 October 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ Hunter, Paul (12 October 2007). "Sundin breaks Leafs' scoring record". Toronto Star. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ Russo, Michael (14 October 2007). "Saturday's 3-2 comeback win over Phoenix; Sunday column supplement". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ "Sundin breaks 83-year-old Leafs record in 4-2 win over Penguins". USA Today. 1 December 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
- ^ "Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin won't waive no-trade clause".
- ^ "Leafs gave Rangers permission". Sportsnet. 23 June 2008. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2008.
- Montreal Gazette. Archived from the originalon 27 July 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2008.
- ^ Rosen, Dan (18 December 2008). "Barry: Sundin decision will come this week". NHL. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
- ^ "Sundin giving Canucks $1.4m discount". Vancouver Sun. 19 December 2008. Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
- ^ "Sundin era starts slowly". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 8 January 2009. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ^ "Sundin's first goal not enough to lift Canucks". National Post. 10 January 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "Canucks' Sundin scores shootout winner in return to Toronto". TSN. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
- ^ "Sundin a big bust so far". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
- ^ "Sorry Canucks are stuck with Sundin". Faceoff.com. 2 February 2009. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
- ^ BRAD ZIEMER (14 May 2009). "Sundin to mull his future (again) over summer". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on 17 May 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ "Salo, Sundin set to return". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 6 June 2009. [dead link]
- ^ "Mats Sundin slutar med ishockeyn". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 30 September 2009.
- ^ Mike Ulmer (29 October 2011). "Mats Sundin Ecstatic About Being Honoured". Toronto Maple Leafs. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ "Leafs to retire Mats Sundin's jersey". The Sports Network. Associated Press. 30 October 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ Mike Ulmer (12 February 2012). "Sundin takes his place among the stars". Toronto Maple Leafs. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ Zwolinski, Mark; McGran, Kevin (12 November 2011). "Hockey Hall of Fame: NHL lockout backdrop to big day for Sundin, Oates, Bure and Sakic". Toronto Star. Torstar Corporation. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ "Mats Sundin, Forsberg among 2013 IIHF Hall of Fame class". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- ^ "Sundin Latest Addition to Legends Row". Toronto Maple Leafs. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
- ^ a b "Mats Sundin: 100 Greatest NHL Players". National Hockey League. 1 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- ^ "Super Sudden Galen i att vinna". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 15 May 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
- ^ Dimanno, Rosie (11 October 2007). "Captain courteous, vague". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2 May 2008.
- ^ Leitch, Carolyn (19 May 2006). "Captain's Crib". Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on 26 June 2008. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
- ^ O'Connor, Joe (12 May 2006). "Sundin puts house up for sale". National Post. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2008.
- ^ Tracey, Scott (1 May 2008). "Guelph students honour Maple Leafs captain with Lourdes' National Leadership Award". Waterloo Region Record. Retrieved 1 May 2008.
- ^ "Sundin Signs With PokerStars". MarketWatch. 3 September 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- ^ "Canucks centre Mats Sundin ties the knot". Vancouver Sun. 30 August 2009. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
- ^ "Mats Sundin Players Program". Archived from the original on 16 June 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016. "Mats Sundin Players Program." Mats Sundin Players Program. N.p., n.d. Web. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ "Monster class of 2013". International Ice Hockey Federation. 4 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Forsberg invald i Hall of fame". Örnsköldsviks Allehanda (in Swedish). Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database