So, as it turns out, you could have made yourself a nifty profit — five times your wager — if you believed Mats Sundin all along about his intention to exercise his no-trade right.
As mentioned here last week, a gaming site called www.beted.com offered 5-to-1 odds on Sundin choosing to remain with the Maple Leafs instead of allowing them to trade him before today’s NHL deadline. The Toronto captain declared Sunday night that he’d rather continue on as a losing Leaf than become a competing contender.
Sundin is being heralded in some quarters for the way he rejected megabucks to stick around, but such a move is not unprecedented in Toronto. Carlos Delgado went the same route a few years ago by forbidding the Blue Jays from trading him to a contender late in the MLB season. He joined the Florida Marlins the next season after they offered him more money than the Jays did.
•Rest assured the Leafs will complete at least one relatively significant deal today, and it could feature Darcy Tucker being dispatched to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tucker has a no-trade clause, too, but sources told Metro yesterday he’d gladly waive it for enough incentive.
Leaving the lamentable Leafs might/should be enough incentive.
•This will be a trade deadline day like no other, sources predict.
“It’ll be crazy, I guarantee it,” an NHL GM told Metro. “It’ll be wild and memorable.”
Forwards who could be dealt: Marian Hossa (possibly to the Montreal Canadiens), Mike Peca (possibly to the Ottawa Senators), Olli Jokinen, Robert Lang, Brad Richards, Mike Comrie and/or Miroslav Satan. Defencemen who could move: Brian Campbell, Christian Erhoff, Ron Hainsey, Cam Barker, Jassen Cullimore and/or Ruslan Salei.
•The silliest comment I’ve heard in years came Sunday from talking head/Raptors shill Chuck Swirsky, who actually told a TSN audience that, even with Sundin still a Leaf, “The new face of Toronto sports is Chris Bosh.”
Bosh is a very good basketball player, but…
•There’s major league interest in Barry Bonds after all.
Both the Tampa Bay Devil Ray and St. Louis Cardinals suddenly want him.
Marty York/Metro Toronto
In three-plus decades as a columnist and broadcaster, Marty York has built a network of solid contacts and a renowned reputation for his hard-hitting, groundbreaking style. The tradition continues in Metro Sports.
