With less than two weeks to go from the tradedeadline, Mats Sundin, Peter Forsberg and Marian Hossa are the top on many team’s list. Sundin has a no mouvement clause, so he will have to wave that. Forsberg is hoping his foot will stand the pressure of intense skating. Hossa is uncertain if he wants to stay in Atlanta, and getting a lot of attention, and will get more, if Forsberg frops out, and even more if Sundin decides no to waive NMC.
Let’s take a look at Sundin’s case. If you’re a Gm and want to make a pitch for him, you know the price will be high, also you will want to sign him to a year or two extension, to be worth it. Who could blame you. On the other hand, if you were to become Gm of the Leafs over the summer, do you want to re-sign him, at 5 or 6 million for an another year ? Myself, I would think very carefully, as I would want as much cap room possible next season to sign my RFA’s and shield them from offer sheets, and also move ahead now with the post Sundin era of the Leafs. It will happen one day, so why not know.
In Forsberg's case, and this with no disrespect to one of the best playoff performers in the last fifteen years, I would pass on him. Simply in respect for the guys that have played on my team since the beginning of the year.
The Hossa case is a bit more complicated, as if you trade him, your throwing in the towel on the season. He has not shown too much interest in wanting to an extension and is looking forward to complete free agency, it's his right. It's damn if you do and damn if you don't. Many options in this case. One, which is the obvisious, he walks this summer and signs a multi-year contract somewhere, at maybe 7 or 7.5 million for maybe 4 or 5 years. Waddell trades him, at the deadline, the team that acquires him, makes him an offer, if he refuses, that Gm can always trade him at the draft for a better positioning in the first three rounds. The next ten to twelve days will interesting to watch for sure.
